CARACAS, Thursday July 30, 2009 | Update
Country
Luisa Ortega Díaz, Venezuela's Attorney General, submitted to the plenary of the National Assembly a draft Special Law against Media Crimes, which would punish with imprisonment up to four years whoever breaks the law.
"It is necessary to legislate on this matter; it is necessary that the Venezuelan State regulates freedom of expression," she said.
The senior official added that her proposal is not aimed at violating the freedom of expression since. According to her, such freedom is observed in Venezuela. However, in the context of "our legal instruments, within the framework of the rights of Venezuelan people, everything has a limit. I request the State to put some limits to this right."
Ortega Díaz said that some people can commit criminal acts through the mass media and because of these "new forms of crime," the State has the obligation to prevent these offenses.
Carolina Contreras
EL UNIVERSAL
02:57 PM. HEAVY RAINS. Venezuelan Executive Vice-President Elias Jaua reported that the government is designing plans to support farmers, cattlemen and peasants of the state of Mérida who have been hit by heavy rains that have caused crop losses.