14. On May 30, 2002, the petitioners presented additional information. In their written
submission they allege that despite the Commission’s request to investigate the facts, the
Public Prosecutor’s Office did not act with due diligence and that “more than a reasonable
amount of time had elapsed for an investigation into the facts to be initiated, but there had
been no progress in that direction.“ They also reported a rise in aggression against reporters
since the adoption of the precautionary measures by the Commission. Given the threat to
reporters and the State’s failure to implement measures to protect them, RCTV was required to
take steps to protect its workers, equipping them with bulletproof vests, helmets, and gas
masks.
15. The State sent a letter on May 30 stating that the case of the RCTV reporters was “being
investigated.”
16. On July 29, 2002, after reviewing the comments of the parties, the Commission considered
it necessary to extend the precautionary measures for six months.
17. On August 22, 2002, the petitioners sent another communication indicating that the State
had failed to comply with the precautionary measures. They also reported new attacks on
RCTV reporters Laura Castellanos, José Antonio Monroy, Argenis Uribe, and David Pérez
Hansen and requested that the precautionary measures be expressly extended to them. On
September 16, 2002, the Commission submitted that information to the State, requesting
compliance with the measures granted on January 29, 2002 and extended on July 29, 2002
and broadening the request to cover reporters Laura Castellanos, José Antonio Monroy,
Argenis Uribe, and David Pérez Hansen and other RCTV media workers.
18. On March 5, 2003, the IACHR received a new request for an extension, which was granted
on March 17, 2003, to protect the right to life, personal integrity, and freedom of expression of
Eduardo Sapene, Erika Paz, Samuel Sotomayor, Anahís Cruz, Herbigio Henríquez, Luis Augusto
Contreras Alvarado, Javier García; Isnardo Bravo, David Pérez Hansen, Wilmer Marcano,
Wiston Gutiérrez, Isabel Mavárez and other staff of the RCTV network in Venezuela, giving the
State a 15-day deadline to report on the measures it had adopted.
C.
Provisional Measures
19. On November 25, 2002, Luisiana Ríos, Armando Amaya, Antonio José Monroy, Laura
Castellanos and Argenis Uribe requested that the Commission file with the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights for the adoption of provisional measures on behalf of RCTV staffers
Luisiana Ríos, Armando Amaya, Antonio José Monroy, Laura Castellanos and Argenis Uribe.
20. On November 27, 2002, the Commission requested provisional measures from the InterAmerican Court in view of the fact that the precautionary measures “had not had the desired
effect, as the attacks [had] continued.” The same Court handed down a resolution granting the
measures in question and requiring the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
inter alia, “to adopt without delay any measures necessary to protect the lives and personal
integrity of Luisiana Ríos, Armando Amaya, Antonio José Monroy, Laura Castellanos and
Argenis Uribe, employees of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) [and] to require the State to
investigate the reported facts, which led to the current measures intended to seek out and
punish those responsible.” The Court set a deadline of December 12, 2002 for the Government
to submit its first report on the measures adopted.
21. The Government sent its reply to the Court on December 12, 2002. In that written report,
the Government stated that the Attorney General had commissioned two public prosecutors in
the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas “in compliance with the measure stated in
substantive point 3 of the resolution handed down by the Court."
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