Venezuela newspaper faces probe over morgue photo

[naaman fletcher]

CARACAS, Venezuela — Prosecutors in Venezuela say they are investigating a newspaper's publication of a photograph on its front page depicting dead bodies in a Caracas morgue.

The photograph in the newspaper El Nacional showed about a dozen bodies of men strewn about on examination tables in the morgue.
The attorney general's office said in a statement Saturday that it is on the case after a complaint by a student group aligned with President Hugo Chavez's government. Police chief Wilmer Flores has also denounced the daily for publishing the image.

El Nacional's editor, Miguel Henrique Otero, said the photograph — taken in December — was used in Friday's newspaper to illustrate the fact that the morgue is being overwhelmed due to rampant violence.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jvlx_P9ghozonim6xxllHZpalLRAD9HJJ0E80

Bush didn't like photos either.

[Bacchus39]

1. I read that the government might use the social responsibility law against the paper

for publishing pics harmful to children.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Google translation on Spanish article, police chief says image taken in 2006.

Google translation with link to the original:

Investigating daily photos of bodies
The newspaper critical of the government of Hugo Chavez took the picture in 2009
16/08/1910 - Updated : 16/08/1910 12:30 am - Drafting : [e-mail]

Caracas , Venezuela

The prosecutor said Saturday that Venezuela started an investigation against opposition daily El Nacional on Friday for publishing on its cover a photograph that appeared several corpses piled in the morgue in Caracas.

The photograph, in which we can see eleven dead bodies , mostly half-naked and on stretchers , caused angry reactions from various agencies such as the Venezuelan Scientific Police , the Ombudsman's Office and the Front of Students Against Privatization of the Central University Venezuela, Fecpucv . The latter group was the one who filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor to initiate an investigation against the newspaper.

"Photography on a series of corpses that lay at the morgue in Bello Monte Caracas (...) would have been taken years ago " and was released yesterday by the newspaper El Nacional, said the official letter .

According to the complainants , the publication of this image in large format and on the first page of the newspaper violates the right to moral and psychological integrity of children and their right to receive adequate information for comprehensive training, the state-run Agency Venezuelan News, AVN .

According to the prosecution, " the publication of the photograph " of the corpses piled in the morgue in Caracas " will be threatening or violent collective and diffuse rights of children and adolescents , "the statement said.

The image was taken in " last December , "according to the caption, and the newspaper's editor , Miguel Henrique Otero, said yesterday that published the image to "react "to the Government against the "terrible crime " that plagues Venezuela. He said the photo was taken in 2009.

"Just stand at the gates of the morgue to see what happens there , overcrowding, overflowing because the drug underworld , "said Otero told the private news channel Globovision.

The police chief scientific CICPC , Wilmer Flores, yesterday condemned the publication of the image by El Nacional and announced that he would ask Attorney to act "against the newspaper " Caracas .

The police chief argued that the image was taken in "2006 and not today "and that their content violates local laws to protect children and adolescents.

According to all polls , insecurity is the main concern of the people of Venezuela, where there is an average of 10,000 violent deaths a year , according to a police study leaked to the press in 2008. The Venezuelan authorities did not officially disclosed figures on the uncertainty at least since 2006.

http://www.laprensa.hn/Sintesis/Lo-ultimo/Ediciones/2010/08/16/Noticias/Investigan-a-diario-por-fotos-de-cadaveres

~~~~~
Also google translated:

VENEZUELA | Photo taken in 2006

The prosecution is investigating a newspaper for publishing photos of bodies
Europa Press | Caracas
Updated Sunday 15/08/2010 12:00 hours

The Office of Venezuela announced Saturday an investigation against opposition newspaper ' El Nacional ' on Friday for publishing on its cover a photograph that appeared several corpses piled in the morgue de Bello Monte , Caracas , an image was taken in 2006.

The photograph , which are 11 dead bodies , mostly naked on a stretcher , caused angry reactions from various scientific organizations such as the Venezuelan police , the The Ombudsman and the Front of Students Against the Privatization of the Central University Venezuela ( Fecpucv ). The latter group was the one who filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor to initiate an investigation against the newspaper.

According to the complainants , the publication of this image in large format and on the first page of the newspaper violates the right to moral and psychological integrity of children and their right to receive adequate information for comprehensive training, the state-run Agency Venezuelan News ( AVN ).

The Tax Office has designated 106 and its auxiliary Caracas metropolitan area to coordinate and direct the investigation. According to the complainants , ' El Nacional ' literal C had violated Article 79 of the Organic Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents ( Lopnna ) , referred to bans to protect the rights of information and a healthy environment for children.

They also point out that the newspaper allegedly violated Article 234 of the legal text associated with the performance of the media disagrees with this law.

" According to prosecutors , with the publication of that photograph would threatening or violent collective and diffuse rights of children and adolescents ", Said in a statement the Attorney

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/08/15/comunicacion/1281866269.html

~~~~~
Google translation:
Venezuelan Prosecutor starts investigation against opposition daily
Saturday, August 14, 2010

August 14, 2010 , 15:41Caracas , Aug 14 ( Prensa Latina) Venezuela's Attorney General today announced the initiation of an investigation against opposition daily El Nacional, which on Friday published a photo on the cover of several bodies in the Bello Monte Caracas morgue .

According to a press release, the research responds to the request of representatives of the Front of Students Against the Privatization of the Central University of Venezuela.

The complainants considered that the shocking image infringes the right to moral and psychological integrity of children and adolescents, the prosecutor said .

Politicians, citizens and the Ombudsman expressed his opposition to the controversial front page of El Nacional, with which its advocates accuse the government of alleged inaction against insecurity.

In addition to the alleged violation of article 79 of Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents in the arena is questioning the validity of the photograph.

According to the police chief scientific Commissioner Wilmer Flores , the image of 11 half-naked dead bodies was taken in 2006, the newspaper said the directive which corresponds to December 2009 .

It has also handled the possibility of a hoax.

The case unleashed opinions in Venezuelan society . On the one hand , who see the picture as a morbid action and political tendency , while some opposition sectors received it favorably .

For the government , the media act as political parties, and unleash a smear campaign ahead of elections next September 26.

http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=213096&Itemid=1

~~~~~

http://www.eldiario24.com.nyud.net:8090/uploads/editorial/2010/08/15/imagenes/86883_diiaertuiop.jpg

~~~~~
I don't think it's likely the U.S. media was ever tempted to publish images like this. They would have been hit by a wild and furious reaction they would NEVER forget. NEVER.

~~~~~
Google translation:
15/08/2010
CONTROVERSY
Prosecutor initiated criminal investigation against El Nacional

The Public Ministry announced Saturday its decision to open an investigation against a national newspaper following the publication of a plot , which authorities say is of long standing, on a series of corpses that lay in the morgue of Monte Bello Caracas, which was broadcast on the front page

Caracas.- The controversial front-page photograph published in the newspaper El Nacional this Friday 's edition and which is a series of corpses in the morgue of Monte Bello in Caracas, forcing the Public Prosecutor to initiate an investigation.
Barely 24 hours have passed since the appearance of the graph to the announcement made yesterday at the office headed by Luisa Ortega Díaz.

Through a press release , the Office reported that the investigation was initiated at the request of representatives of the Front of Students Against the Privatization of the Central University of Venezuela to the Office of Protection of the Family of Public Prosecutions.

The newspaper published a color photo on the front page showing the morgue de Bello Monte , crammed with corpses and under a fotoleyenda in which states: " Dead without dignity.

The prosecutor and assistant 106th Metropolitan Area of Caracas, Freddy Ramon Lizcano and Lucena , respectively , will be responsible for coordinating and directing investigations into the case.

According to the complainants , the publication of the image released by The National and deployed a large, violating the right to moral and psychological integrity of children and adolescents , and to receive information according to its comprehensive training.

Legal Actions

On Friday, the Ombudsman's office went to court to protect children and adolescents to take legal action against the newspaper , arguing that it infringed the rights of this sector of the population.
That same day, the director of the Scientific , Penal and Criminal Investigations ( CICPC ) , Wilmer Flores Trosel , said the photo was taken in 2006 and would go to the Office to report the case and require that legal measures be taken against the media.

He said that in this case the paper would be playing with human pain and that those responsible would be punished by imprisonment .

Yesterday the Public Prosecutor before the Court exercised Guard Protection of Children and Adolescents of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas , a protective action , while President of the Autonomous Institute National Council of Rights of Children and Adolescents (iDEN ) Lisbell Diaz asked the prosecutor a criminal investigation. He explained that the agency will also ask an administrative action and a tax rate .

The president editor of El Nacional , Miguel Henrique Otero, reiterated the veracity of the photograph and found that it was taken on December 26, 2009 and not 2006 as stated Trosel Flores . In his view , the graph is an expression "brutal "but turn a latent reality .

The coordinator of the Bureau of Democratic Unity , Ramon Guillermo Aveledo ( MUD), held that the government had no better idea than attack the media to inform the world about the high levels of insecurity , deaths and injuries that occur in the streets of Venezuela rather than take action against this scourge.

"Far from fighting and seeking solutions to address this serious problem , it seems that the government and its representatives laugh , "said Aveledo .

According to the leader of the opposition alliance, the government, " it hurts "freedom of expression, "but not the victims of insecurity, or their families. This government is not sincere, " he said.

Challenge

The candidate for Congress for the state of Miranda , Enrique Mendoza , challenged the di -rector of the Scientific , Penal and Criminal Investigations and the Minister of Interior , to go door to door to receive the testimony of Venezuelan on the subject of insecurity. "There will realize that out of 10 respondents , at least five have been victims of violence. "

More:
http://www.eltiempo.com.ve/noticias/default.asp?id=345836



Manuel Sucre, El Nacional, you're doing a heck of a job. Everyone will ALWAYS remember your fight for
the welfare of the poor, the helpless, the downtrodden. What a flipping bunch of humanitarians you are.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Apparently the larger El Nacional photo I posted isn't available, so here's a small one:

Please keep in mind the photo they ran was HUGE, completely dominating the front page. BIG freaking photo, so everyone could see the details on the cadavers, making what's private a public spectacle. But, hey, isn't the huuuuuman body beautiful? If Gawd didn't mean for everyone to see, he would have made us all invisible.

Salute, El Nacional!

[Bacchus39]

4. yeah, its the photo thats the problem. not the violence n/t

s