More than 300 journalists signed a petition to repudiate “attacks and intimidation” on the press

More of 300 Argentine journalists, who work in the country’s main media, signed a requested that was published this Sunday in different newspapers and portals. In it, they express their concern for the “attack and intimidation” against press professionals, especially when they come from the political power, warning that they threaten freedom of expression.

“Every citizen has the right to question a note or the opinion of a journalist, but when the escrache is used with unfounded accusations of illegal espionage, name calling and personal attacks a dangerous border is crossed for the exercise of freedom of expression and democratic coexistence, “begins the document that bears among its signatories the name of Jorge Lanata, Luis Majul, Nicolás Wiñazki and Daniel Santoro, four journalists who in recent weeks were accused by the senator Oscar Parrilli to be in “collude” with intelligence officers linked to the alleged illegal espionage of the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) during the macrista management.

In this sense, the petitioner continues: “Recent public attacks and intimidations against journalists, as well as espionage and other actions abuses of political power, they worry and deserve a reflection to recreate a scenario of tolerance “.

For journalists “stigmatization, especially when it counts with momentum from the State, conditions the role of the press, try to create fear and promote self-censorshipAnd they emphasize that “the plurality of ideas and voices and the tolerance with which he thinks differently are keys to the democracy that we reconquered in 1983.”

This is why, in the document, press professionals warn that “rulers, legislators and the rest of public officials not only have to respect press freedom, expression and research, but also help build a public climate that allows the exercise of those rights. “

Last Thursday, the Association of Argentine Journalistic Entities (ADEPA), the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) and the National Academy of Journalism (ANP) had already come out to support the journalists attacked and expressed their rejection of “stigmatization and ‘escrache’ “, alleging that” they limit freedom of expression “.