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september 25, 2007
Mr. President,
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA), with the signatures of newspaper readers from throughout the Americas, is writing to you to express our satisfaction at the verdict in Brazil handing down punishment to the mastermind of a crime committed against a journalist.
We have several times noted how long it has taken to exercise justice due to negligence, apathy and irregularities. On many such occasions the police inquiries and legal proceedings have been inexplicably stalled and have in fact become obstacles to action designed to bring those responsible for crimes to justice.
But this time, Mr. President, we welcome the fact that a court in Amambai, Mato Grosso do Sul, sentenced Eurico Mariano, former mayor of the city of Coronel Sapucaia, to 17 years and nine months in prison as the mastermind of the April 20, 2004 murder of journalist Samuel Román. The conviction is an encouraging step that punishes the instigation of a crime, something that as a rule remains in impunity.
We would like to urge all the courts in Brazil not to let those who mastermind crimes against journalists go unpunished.
We take the liberty of enclosing for you the Declaration of Principles signed by the chief justices of the Supreme Courts in the Americas who met in the Dominican Republic in July this year for the IAPA-organized Hemisphere Conference on The Judiciary, The Press and Impunity.
Sincerely,
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