Symposium to address freedom of press, safety of journalists in Latin America
Murder, kidnappings, coercion a tragic reality for media professionals
WHAT:
Journalists throughout Latin America practice their profession with courage, often risking their lives to document crime and abuses, expose corruption, and demand accountability from public officials and elected leaders. Their work helps raise public awareness about violations of national and international laws and threats to democratic societies throughout the hemisphere.
Last year was one of the most challenging and tragic for journalists in Latin America: 24 journalists were killed in the Americas in 2011 — seven in Mexico, five in Honduras, four in Brazil, three in Peru and one each in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Paraguay, according to a review by the Inter-American Press Association.
This free, open-to-the public symposium, sponsored by the UCLA Latin American Institute, will bring together media professionals from Latin America and the U.S. who cover sensitive issues such as organized crime, corruption and drug trafficking in Latin America to share their experiences and discuss how international organizations, the media and governments are responding to such challenges.
Members of the public are required to register for the event. To register, and for more inormation, visit
WHO:
Participants will include the following:
Lisl Brunner
Staff attorney in the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Staff attorney in the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Delphine Halgand
Washington, D.C., director for Reporters Without Borders
Carlos Eduardo Huerta
Investigations editor for Colombia's Revista Semana magazine
Rubén Keoseyán
Executive editor of Los Angeles' La Opinión newspaper
Cynthia Cardenas
Legal adviser for human rights organization Article 19 for Mexico and Central America
Maximo Langer (moderator)
Professor at the UCLA School of Law
Rubén Hernández-Leon (moderator)
Professor in the UCLA Department of Sociology
WHEN
1–5 p.m., Monday, May 21
WHERE
UCLA Faculty Center, California Room (map)
R.S.V.P. | PARKING
Media interested in attending should call or email the media contact (below) to R.S.V.P. and get parking information.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Kendall | 310-206-5336 | kendall@international.ucla.edu