IACHR Hearing on Freedom of Expression
Various civil society organizations, union representatives, and delegates from the Argentine government participated on November 19 in the hearing on the situation of freedom of expression in Argentina, convened by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The session is the result of two petitions promoted by civil society organizations, academia, and experts. CELE was one of the organizations that supported the request made by the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA).
The participating organizations denounced a rapid and pronounced deterioration in the conditions for practicing journalism in Argentina. They pointed to a significant increase in attacks against journalists, ranging from online violence and harassment to physical violence, often perpetrated by public authorities. CELE had previously highlighted and analyzed this situation, which was also noted in the most recent report by the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. FOPEA characterized the patterns of aggression by current government public officials as “narratives of hate and disinformation,” strategically used to silence dissent by restricting public debate, particularly by President Javier Milei, who has repeatedly stated that “we do not hate journalists enough.”
During the hearing, civil society raised an alarm regarding the severity of the increase in aggressions, which have also been physical. The case of Pablo Grillowas recalled, the photojournalist who was seriously injured by a tear gas canister fired by a National Gendarmerie officer during an operation to suppress pensioners' protests in Buenos Aires in March of this year. Eight months later, Grillo remains hospitalized, and no significant progress has been made in the investigation into the Gendarmerie's conduct that afternoon. The issue of judicial intimidation was also addressed. Poder Ciudadano referred to institutional restrictions and emphasized the use of the justice system as a weapon to silence critical voices and cited the amendments to the Law on Access to Public Information as a critical point.
The Argentine government, through its Undersecretary of Human Rights, Alberto Julio Baños, dismissed the complaints from civil society. He stated that there are no structural or intentional legal restrictions limiting freedom of expression or journalistic activity in Argentina; he asserted that no regressive measures have been adopted in this regard and that the situations reported by academic and civil society organizations are isolated incidents, not a systematic policy or practice on the part of the government.
The delegate referred to a request for information made by the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) in July of this year and questioned the office's authority to send such a request. In response, the President of the IACHR, Jorge Luis Caballero, reported that on November 7, the Commission responded to the Argentine State based on Article 41 of the American Convention on Human Rights and emphasized the Special Rapporteurship's authority to request information on the human rights situation from member states. He pointed out that the RELE was indeed competent to make the request and that it was done with the full knowledge of the Commission.
The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Pedro Vaca, emphasized the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of the press for democratic societies, and the need for environments of institutional trust for the practice of journalism. In turn, he recalled that the Inter-American System has explicit standards for freedom of expression that must be applied to guarantee this right.
During the hearing, representatives of civil society also requested that the IACHR conduct a detailed monitoring of the repressive and aggressive context affecting freedom of expression in Argentina, promoting a dialogue with the national government to adopt urgent measures to stop the attacks, reinforce the limits and obligations of public officials, and put an end to the violent repression against journalists and demonstrators.
