The Center for Legal and Social Studies will defend the journalist accused by Clarin Group

Argentina, November 26, 2012

Although the complaint puts the reporters in the same status with public officials, the Clarin Group denies this version and ensures that they only cited them as witnesses in the case.

Many voices were raised on the issue, the main one was Horacio Verbitsky, head of the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), which will be the legal representative of the journalists accused of “inciting violence”.

“We do not do anything other than continue a tradition, we have represented Edward Kimmel in the process initiated by an official, to Jorge Fontevecchia and Hector D’amico by a process initiated by the government”, said Verbitsky. He also said at the same conference that will take charge of the defense of Javier Vicente, Roberto Caballero, Orlando Barone, Sandra Russo, Edgardo Mocca and Nora Veiras

He added “they repeat something that happened when we got the abrogation of contempt in the Criminal Code, when defamation was ruled out. Now they cite them for “incitement to violence”, which has more severe penalties than before and it may end up with an effective sentence to prison.”

Moreover, with regard to the statement issued by the Clarín Group, said “in the day today there were news that we think are important and that the Clarín Group lawyer issued through a statement saying they have not asked for a punishment against journalists but they are called as witnesses. This is clearly a step backwards, a regression. They could not sustain today what they signed on Thursday. Journalists are reported”.

Another who referred the matter is Damian Loretti, secretary of the Board of the CELS and holder of the Chairs of Right to Information in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. “The complaint mentioned (reporters) as propagators of those who incite violence” he said.

“The names of the journalists are in the same paragraphs, conditions and characteristics of the accused” and concluded “journalists are charged on a par with the Executive officials.”