ORDER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS OF JULY 6, 2004 PROVISIONAL MEASURES REQUESTED BY THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE MATTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA CASE OF THE “EL NACIONAL” AND “ASÍ ES LA NOTICIA” NEWSPAPERS V. VENEZUELA HAVING SEEN: 1. The June 25, 2004 brief that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Commission” or “the Inter-American Commission”), pursuant to Article 63(2) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention” or “the American Convention”) and Article 25 of the Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Court” or “the Inter-American Court”), submitted to the Court seeking provisional measures for the persons working at the “El Nacional” and “Así es la Noticia” newspapers, in the matter of the Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter “the State” or “Venezuela”), for protection of their lives, the integrity of their persons and freedom of expression. 2. The Inter-American Commission’s arguments are based on the following allegations of fact: a) on seven different occasions in 2002, the Commission granted precautionary measures on behalf of journalists in Venezuela, among them journalists working at the “El Nacional” and “Así es la Noticia” newspapers. It extended many of these precautionary measures up to the present year, to protect the lives, the integrity of person and freedom of expression of journalists, media executives, camera personnel and photographers; b) on January 7, 2002, citizens belonging to the Movimiento Bolivariano 200 and the so-called Círculos Bolivarianos appeared at the offices of the newspaper “El Nacional.” The so-called Círculos Bolivarianos had been created with direct support from the State. These people were protesting “El Nacional’s” editorial leaning and were hurling dangerous objects. They also threatened the journalists who leant out of the windows and took photographs of the protestors; c) consequently, on January 11, 2002, the Commission asked the State to adopt precautionary measures with respect to the journalists, employees, and executives working at the newspaper “El Nacional”; d) on January 16, 2002, the State, responding to that request for precautionary measures, reported that it had conveyed the relevant information to the Minister of the Interior and Justice, to the Attorney General’s Office and to the Ombudsman, to have the facts investigated and the competent agencies instructed to provide the protection required to ensure the security and safety of the journalists and others