The International Network of Journalists with a Gender Vision (RIPVG) expresses its concern about the alarming increase in violence against journalists documented in Chile, by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, within the context of repression and criminalization of social protest, from the political crisis the country has been experiencing since last October.
In the Report: Situation of Aggression against Journalists and Communicators during State of Emergency / Touch of Remainder and Political Crisis carried out by the College of Journalists, in 2019 at least five cases of aggression against women journalists and communicators by State agents were documented Chilean, that is, most of these were perpetrated by police and military officials during the coverage of these protests, this means an attack on life and freedom of expression.
On January 1, 2020, the graphic reporter Nicole Kamm was attacked by police, receiving a projectile while approaching Plaza de Dignidad, so she lost 80 percent of the vision of her left eye. Also, the journalist of Radio Cooperativa Regiones, Dayane Márquez suffered a pellet impact on the face that came from these same state forces on the night of Wednesday, January 8, during a day of protests in the capital of Antofagasta (north of Chile) .
The colleagues were victims of arbitrary detentions, that is, deprived of their liberty, and two of them sexually violated.
Our position in the face of this structural violence is to defend the life and freedom of expression of women journalists. That is why we demand that the Chilean government headed by Sebastián Piñera recognize their responsibility, so that conditions are generated under which justice is exercised.
We add to our demand, special attention to the investigations in the feminicide / femicide of the communicator, Albertina Martínez Burgos who worked as an illuminator in the Mega channel of Chile, who was murdered in October 2019 and of which the Prosecutor’s Office was almost three months Chilena has not reported the progress of the investigation.
For the life and profession of women journalists in the regions of Latin America.
