New strategy urged to defend human rights and press freedom

PANAMA journalists who have complained about government attacks, lack of freedom of access, and harassment via the courts were heartened on Saturday, October 19 by a call for a new “unity strategy.”

It came from former Governor Bill Richardson who urged s members of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA ) to create a new " unity strategy " to protect human rights and press freedom on the continent and in particular , in Latin America .

Speaking to about 300 media representatives and agencies across the continent as part of IAPA General Assembly in Denver (Colorado , USA ) , Richardson said he feels that "in Latin America neither their rights or freedom of expression are doing well " .
In fact , the former governor of New Mexico and U.S. former ambassador to the UN said that " press freedom is under attack in Latin America."
In his view, this situation will not change unless the many divisions among Latin American countries can be overcome and the Organization of American States ( OAS ) regains the influence it once had and which , in his view, lacks now .
For Richardson , the SIP must work together to " revive and relaunch " the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ( IACHR ) , and that the agency is " under attack " from some countries.
" Call the leaders of each country , country by country , and their ambassadors " urged Richardson to indicate that the strategy of journalists must include politicians and leaders " to help raise the profile of the IACHR.