PUNTA CANA. -  The Dominican College of Journalists denounced the continuing violence which is subjected professional journalism and requested the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) cooperation to minimize it .

Olivo De Leon, president of the CDP, said besides violence manifested in murders, attacks, intimidation, subjugation, pressures and attacks, the journalist has to practice in the midst of a permanent workplace violence.

A purpose of the celebration in the country of the Assembly Midyear of the SIP which was attended by a delegation of the CDP, De Leon said that workplace violence is present in low wages, long hours to which they are forced work in hazardous work without proper protection and multi-tasking, among others.

He argued that the SIP has in his hands the solution of much of this situation, as executives and members of the organization are employers of journalists or their representatives, so that workplace violence may disappear or be minimized with a change attitude of the organization.

He said that 72% of journalists in the country and earn a monthly salary below RD $ 30,000. less than $ 650 US, forcing him to have more than one job and work 15 hours or more.

He said that 45% lack health insurance, occupational risk and pension and only 28% have life insurance.

He wondered how can journalists play a leading role in building democracy, exercise independent professional practice, be vigilant of society, seek a balance between powers and an ethical practice in these conditions ?.

He said these deplorable working conditions censorship and self-censorship, systematic judicial harassment to which they are subjected journalists, aggression, economic strangulation and closure of independent programs adds, state advertising discriminatory, among other factors affecting freedom of expression in the country.

The president of the CDP found that in addition to the murders of journalists IAPA should try and find a solution to the violence that is generated in the same communications companies and is a term death.

On the other hand argued that the judgment 0075 the Constitutional Court that eliminates the criminal and civil liability of executives and owners of media left in the horfandad journalists who are eventually charged with libel and / or slander, so that from that moment they will face alone what belongs to their employers. 

You understand that this should also be a concern SIPredacc.

However, Olivo De Leon recalled that in 2015, were killed 110 journalists worldwide, of which 49 in Latin America and the Caribbean and of these the Dominican Blas Olivo, who has done little to that this case remains unpunished.

While in the first three months of this year they have killed 13 journalists in the region.

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