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Building peace in the minds of men and women

Strengthening regional cooperation to end impunity for crimes and attacks against journalists in Latin America

Online Programme

Thu, 7 Nov
8:00 to 9:00

Registration

Registration of participants
9:00 to 9:30

Opening statements

Welcome and key note remarks
9:30 to 11:00

Session 1: Killing the witnesses: the industry of silence against journalists

This session will provide an overview of the situation in the region of Latin America and at the international level regarding crimes and attacks against journalists and the issue of impunity. It will highlight the role of journalists to denounce corruption, trafficking and political wrongdoings in societies and strive to understand what journalist killings represent and the consequences it entails. As journalists are tasked with the special duty to inform the population and international opinion, this role often makes them a target. The session will also analyze the various threats faced by journalists working in the region today compared to the threats faced by them in the past, the changes in safety created by the development of social media, the ways to mitigate risks on the field and the possible measures to tackle and end impunity for attacks and killings of journalists in the region.

Moderator: Adriana Leon. Vice-coordinator, Latin American Congress of Investigative Journalism (COLPIN)

  1. Maria Teresa Ronderos. Programme Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists
  2. Marianela Balbi. Venezuelan journalist, Director, Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela (IPYS Venezuela). Voces Del Sur. Shadow Report on the Compliance of SDG 16.10.1 in 8 LAC countries
  3. Judge Miguel Ángel Gálvez. Guatemalan judge
  4. Pavla Holcova. Investigative journalist and founder of invesiace.cz, based in Prague. Worked closely on the Jan Kuciak case.
  5. Ricardo Trotti. Executive Director, Inter American Press Association (IAPA)
11:00 to 11:15

Coffee break

Coffee break
11:15 to 12:45

Session 2: Mechanisms of Prevention, Protection and Prosecution: experiences from the Inter-American System

This third session will analyze mechanisms of prevention, protection and prosecution to deliver justice for killed journalists. Measures to address this issue include documenting and remembering violations and crimes in order to allow resolutions in the future, the role of regional courts and human rights mechanisms, NGOs and fostering the engagement of National Human Rights Commissions. This session will be coordinated by the Office of the Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.

Moderator: Aimée Vega. General Coordinator, Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMAG)

  1. David Kaye. UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression
  2. Jonathan Bock. Coordinator, Center for Freedom of Expression Studies, Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP). Will speak of the case of journalist Nelson Carvajal Carvajal, condemned by the Inter-American Court on Human Rights (IACHR) in March 2018.
  3. Tatiana Guasti. Human Rights Specialist at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States (OAS)
  4. Luz Adriana Camargo. Lawyer and expert consultant
12:45 to 14:15

Lunch

Lunch break
14:15 to 15:45

Session 3: Fighting impunity in Mexico: review of challenges and achievements

Impunity towards crimes against journalists is considered one of the main factors fueling the cycle of violent crime against the exercise of freedom of expression and human rights. This session will provide an overview of the challenges and achievements in fighting impunity in the context of Mexico, where the difficulty to penalize criminals remains a serious issue. It will seek to answer questions such as: What is the status of investigations on the killings of journalists? What are the bottlenecks that prevent prosecution in cases of attacks against journalists? What could be the role of CSO and media to advocate for the judicial resolution of these killings? The advantages and challenges of national protection and monitoring mechanisms, which are in place or could be established to fight impunity, will be presented and discussed.

Moderator: Carmen Aristegui. Mexican journalist and anchorwoman, anchor of the news program Aristegui on CNN en Español. Received several awards in recognition of her struggle for freedom of expression.

  1. Ricardo Sánchez Pérez del Pozo (TBC). Mexican Federal Prosecutor in charge of crimes against journalists. Head of Fiscalía Especial para la Atención de Delitos cometidos contra la Libertad de Expresión
  2. Alejandro Encinas Rodríguez. Deputy-Secretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration
  3. Ana Cristina Ruelas. Director, ARTICLE 19 Mexico
  4. Adela Navarro. General-Director, Zeta weekly
  5. Luis Raúl González Pérez (TBC). President, National Commission of Human Rights
  6. Jan Jarab. Representative of the Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner in Mexico
15:45 to 16:00

Coffee break

Coffee break
16:00 to 17:30

Session 4: The way forward, including raising awareness, monitoring and reinforcing capacities of key actors: Recap and closing remarks

The final session will offer a forward-looking approach to identify ways to strengthen the capacities of judicial members, law enforcement officers and human rights defenders and to raise awareness on the importance to protect journalists and fight impunity. Discussions will include reinforcing the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists at all levels and with different stakeholders. Furthermore, the various options to raise awareness through media and social media campaign and partnerships will be discussed. Regional multi-stakeholder forum for discussions and exchange of ideas and advocacy will also be promoted in order to address the issue of impunity at the regional level.

Moderator: Emmanuel Colombié. Regional Director for Latin America, Reporters without Borders

  1. Judge Ricardo Pérez Manrique. Inter-American Court of Human Rights
  2. José Maria Costa. Advisor and Director of Transparency and Access to Public Information, Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay.
  3. Marina Atoji. Executive Director, Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji)
  4. Saskia Baas. Researcher, co-manager of the project “A Safe World for the Truth” from Free Press Unlimited
  5. Alastair King-Smith. Co-ordinator, Global Campaign on Media Freedom, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK
17:30 to 18:30

Opening of the Latin American Conference on Investigative Journalism

The Latin American Conference on Investigative Journalism (COLPIN), will bring together more than 300 reporters from Latin America and the Caribbean. The event will take place Nov. 7 to 10 in Mexico City.
18:30 to 19:30

Cocktail

Cocktail

 

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