54
with John William Power Perdomo and Johnny Donato Ficarella Martin;151 a request to the
Claims Department of the Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigating Division in order to
collect the statements of the claim and the order for the reparation of the van of
Globovisión, damaged in such incident, in order to conduct a damage assessment report; a
request from the Public Prosecutor to Globovisión in order to forward the video, recorded by
the news team and a request for the technical-scientific verification of the van, license plate
15P-GAC, which is the company’s property.152 By June 2008, the Public Prosecutor Office
was making the corresponding decision.
191. The Court notes that, considering the evidence furnished, a vehicle of Globovisión
was, in fact, damaged by individuals, though it has not been proven that such incident
would have jeopardized the personal integrity of the alleged victims or their professional
activities.
*
*
*
192. The Commission alleged that on April 3, 2002 reporter José Vicente Antonetti was
wounded in the forehead while he and Mr. Edgar Hernandez and Ericsson Alvis were
covering a protest at the Venezuelan Social Security Institute.153 The representatives
pointed out that Globovisión's employees were attacked by a group of individuals of the
ruling party who hit and kicked them, struck the equipment of the television station and
threw “dirty water and eggs" at them. The representatives argued that in said incidents,
there were members of the so-called “Bolivarian Circles” and also, they pointed out that one
of the attackers was the Personnel Manager of Social Security Institute. Based on the
allegations made by the Commission, the representatives stated that the right to humane
treatment of Mr. Antonetti was violated. The State pointed out that the complaint regarding
those facts was lodged a year after the incident for physical attack, of a slight nature,
against Ericcson José Alvis Piñero and that Mr. Antonetti was not attacked.
193. The Court notes that the statements rendered by the witnesses were consistent in
pointing out that Mr. Ericsson José Alvis Piñero was subjected to physical attack.154 From
the video furnished as evidence, it does not spring that someone has been beaten,155 while
151
Cf. transcript of interview of February 26, 2002 with Jhonny Ficarrella Martin before the 2º and 74º Public
Prosecutor’s Office of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas and Nacional Bancaria and de Salvaguarda (records of
evidence, volume XLI, pages 10557-10560).
152
Cf. Memorandum F30NN-248-2008 of April 25, 2008 (records of evidence, volume XXXII, page 8459).
153
The Commission argued in the application that “On April 3, 2002, reporter José Vicente Antonetti,
cameraman Edgar Hernández, and assistant Ericsson Alvis were covering a demonstration at the Venezuelan Social
Security Institute, when a group of individuals, upon noticing their presence, began to shout “go away, go away,”
and struck their cameras. Among the group was the institute’s personnel director; subsequently, the director of the
institute gave a statement saying he could not be held responsible for a subordinate’s behaving in that way.
Reporter José Vicente Antonetti received a wound on his forehead”.
154
Cf. Transcript of Interview of April 4, 2002 with Isnardo José Bravo before the 2º and74º Public
Prosecutors Office of Caracas Metropolitan Area (records of evidence, volume XXXII, page 8275-8277); transcript
of interview with Edgar Alfredo Hernández Parra of April 3, 2002 before the 2º and 74º Public Prosecutors Office of
Caracas Metropolitan Area (records of evidence, volume XXXII, pages 8271-8272) and transcript of interview with
Ericsson José Alvis Piñero of April 3, 2002 before the 2º and 74º Public Prosecutors of Caracas Metropolitan Area
(records of evidence, volume XXXII, pages 8264-8265).
155
In the video, it is possible to see people arguing; however, the video does not show someone hitting an
identified employee from Globovisión. At the end of the tape, there is a –unidentified- person with a wound in the
forehead. Cf. video (appendix 3 to the application).
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