IACHR condemns execution of Brazilian journalist

The Special Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), linked to the Organization of American States (OAS), condemned the brutal murder of Brazilian journalist Lourenco “Leo” Veras, which took place last week, in the Paraguayan city of Pedro Juan Caballero.  

In a note disclosed on February 17, 2020, the rapporteur asked Paraguay to investigate this and other crimes in the region impartially; that clearly clarifies the motivation, and judicially determines whether these crimes are related to journalistic activity and freedom of expression.

"(...) We recall that the problem of violence against journalists in the Americas has worsened. In many cases, [they are carried out] with the presence of organized crime in vast areas of the hemisphere, with the cooptation or weakening of the state apparatus ", says the text.

Leo Veras had dual citizenship and was responsible for the news website Pora News, which reported on the drug trafficking dispute on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. He had already received death threats.

Abraji demanded clarification of the execution and also demanded from the authorities the strict monitoring of threats to journalists and communicators. An association team is in the region to see if the case falls under the Tim Lopes Program, which investigates the death of communication professionals in the country.