,h4 ,,res4 #ecf  ,9 ! ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives1 ,u4 ,s41  ,decemb] #ae1
 #bjae  ,,resolution  ,:]eas despite !  
/rong tradition ( indep5d5t & critical  
m$ia 9 _m c\ntries 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica & !  
,c>ibbean1 j\rnali/s 9 "s c\ntries are  
becom+ increas+ly vuln]able to viol5ce &
 gov]nm5t h>assm5t2 ,:]eas1 on ,july    
#bi1 #bjae1 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e         
,subcommittee conv5$ a he>+ titl$       
8,?reats to ,press ,fre$om 9 ! ,am]icas0
 & ,c>los ,lauria1 ,s5ior ,am]icas      
,program ,coord9ator at ! ,committee to 
,protect ,j\rnali/s /at$ t 8,scores (   
j\rnali/s h be5 kill$ & disappe>$4 ,m$ia
 outlets h be5 bomb$ & =c$ into         
c5sor%ip9999994 ,c5sor%ip due to viol5ce
 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica has rea*$ "o ( its     
highe/ po9ts s9ce mo/ ( ! region 0      
dom9at$ by milit>y rule m ?an ?ree      
decades ago402 ,:]eas 9 #bjad1 ,cuban   
au?orities deta9$ #a1hag memb]s ( civil 
society1 #ca ( :om 7 indep5d5t          
j\rnali/s2 ,:]eas 9 ,cuba1 indep5d5t    
j\rnali/s face su/a9$ h>assm5t1 includ+ 

det5tion & physical abuse f ! ,ca/ro    
regime2 ,:]eas 9 ,ecuador1 9 ,septemb]  
#bjae1 ! gov]nm5t took /eps to close !  
sole press fre$om monitor+ organization1
 ,fundam$ios1 = exce$+ its corporate    
*>t]1 b ! gov]nm5t rel5t$ 9 ! face (    
int]national criticism & pot5tial       
economic reprisals2 ,:]eas 9 ! c\ntry1  
=c$ corrections by ! gov]nm5t h become a
 means ( in/itutional c5sor%ip2 ,:]eas  
accord+ to ! ,committee to ,protect     
,j\rnali/s1 ,mexico is "o ( ! mo/       
dang]\s c\ntries 9 ! _w = ! press2      
,:]eas 9 ,mexico1 ov] #ej j\rnali/s h   
be5 kill$ or h disappe>$ s9ce #bjjg1 at 
lea/ #aa report]s h be5 kill$ s9ce      
#bjaa1 #d ( !m 9 direct reprisal = _!   
"w2 ,:]eas accord+ to ! ,committee to   
,protect ,j\rnali/s1 at lea/ f\r        
j\rnali/s h be5 kill$ 9 ,brazil 9 #bjae1
 _m times aft] be+ tortur$ & hav+ _!    
bodies mutilat$2 ,:]eas ,evany ,jos     
,metzk]1 a political blogg] 9 ! /ate (  
,m9as ,g]ais :o _h be5 inve/igat+ a *ild
 pro/itution r+1 0 f\nd decapitat$      

outside ! t[n ( ,padre ,p>as2 ,:]eas    
accord+ to ! ,organization ( ,am]ican   
,/ates 7,,oas7 #bjad ,annual ,report ( !
 ,int]-,am]ican ,commission on ,human   
,rights1 j\rnali/s cov]+ prote/s 9      
,v5ezuela 7 subject to assaults1        
ob/ruction1 det5tion1 raids1 ?reats1    
c5sor%ip ord]s1 & confiscation or       
de/ruction ( equipm5t2 ,:]eas1 on ,april
 #ba1 #bjae1 a lawsuit )9 ! #bi?        
,di/rict ,tribunal ( ! ,metropolitan    
area ( ,c>acas *>g$ ! j\rnal ,el        
,nacional & its ,*ief ,editor ,miguel   
,h5rique ,ot]o = 8reproduc+ false       
in=mation0 & 0 =c$ to flee ,v5ezuela2   
,:]eas ! ,honduran national human rights
 commission] report$ t eight j\rnali/s &
 social communicators 7 kill$ z (       
,septemb]1 comp>$ ) ?ree 9 #bjac1 &     
doz5s ( cases 9 :i* j\rnali/s report$   
be+ victims ( ?reats & p]secution2      
,:]eas accord+ to ! ,,oas #bjad ,annual 
,report ( ! ,int]-,am]ican ,commission  
on ,human ,rights1 memb]s ( ! m$ia &    
nongov]nm5tal organizations 7,n,g,os7   

/at$ ! press 8self-c5sor$0 due to fe> ( 
reprisal f organiz$ crime or corrupt    
gov]nm5t (ficials2 ,:]eas 9 ,colombia1  
!re 7 #ih incid5ts ( viol5ce & h>assm5t 
aga9/ j\rnali/s1 #cj 7 physically       
attack$1 & #de 7 victims ( h>assm5t or  
intimidation due to _! report+2 ,:]eas  
memb]s ( illegal arm$ gr\ps s\ght to    
inhibit fre$om ( expression by          
intimidat+1 ?reat5+1 kidnapp+1 & kill+  
j\rnali/s2 ,:]eas national &            
int]national ,n,g,os report$ t local    
m$ia repres5tatives regul>ly practic$   
self-c5sor%ip because ( ?reats ( viol5ce
 f ^! gr\ps2 ,:]eas accord+ to ! ,,oas  
#bjad ,annual ,report ( ! ,int]-,am]ican
 ,commission on ,human ,rights1 ?r\gh\t 
#bjad1 ,guatemala pres5t$ acc\nts (     
cases ( h>assm5t & ! fil+ ( sev]al      
crim9al compla9ts aga9/ a newspap] t    
criticiz$ ! ,adm9i/ration2 ,:]eas       
accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's ,c\ntry
 ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices =
 #bjad 9 ,nic>agua1 ! gov]nm5t cont9u$  
to use direct & indirect means to       

pressure & seek to close indep5d5t radio
 /ations1 alleg$ly = political reasons2 
,:]eas accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's 
,c\ntry ,reports on ,human ,rights      
,practices = #bjad 9 ,arg5t9a1 a survey 
releas$ ( #hcj j\rnali/s ?r\gh\t !      
c\ntry indicat$ #ec p]c5t ( respond5ts  
work$ = a m$ia outlet t self-c5sor$     
cont5t2 & ,:]eas almo/ half ! j\rnali/s 
survey$ said !y self-c5sor$ 9 _! report+
 on ! national gov]nm5t3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be 
x ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives--  7#a7  
supports a free press 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica & 
! ,c>ibbean & condemns violations (     
press fre$om & viol5ce aga9/ j\rnali/s2 
7#b7 urges c\ntries 9 ! region to       
implem5t recomm5dations f !             
,organization ( ,am]ican ,/ates' ,(fice 
( ! ,special ,rapporteur = ,fre$om (    
,expression to its ,memb] ,/ates2  7#c7 
urges c\ntries 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica & !      
,c>ibbean to be vocal 9 condemn+        
violations ( press fre$om1 viol5ce aga9/
 j\rnali/s1 & ! culture ( impunity t    
leads to self-c5sor%ip2  7#d7 urges     

c\ntries 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e to uphold
 ! pr9ciples outl9$ 9 ! ,int]-,am]ican  
,democratic ,*>t] & urges _! neighbors 9
 ! region to /& by ! *>t] !y are a p>ty 
to2 &  7#e7 urges ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,ag5cy
 = ,int]national ,developm5t & !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate to assi/1 :5          
appropriate1 ! m$ia 9 clos$ societies to
 promote an op5 & free press4  ,cl]k4