A total of 159 attacks against journalists and media outlets were reported last year in Venezuela, according to media watchdog Espacio Público (Public Space), which acknowledged that this is the lowest number since 2002, but said it is still "worrying," because it shows that there were three cases on a weekly basis.

The data were included in the annual report that Carlos Correa, the director of Espacio Público, presented on Monday morning at Centro Gumilla, a Jesuit research and social action center based in Caracas, on the occasion of the World Day of Freedom of Expression on Tuesday.

Correa said that 81 percent of the attacks against the free flow of ideas and opinions were perpetrated by state-run agencies such as law enforcement officials, public employees, judges and prosecutors. He added that censorship, physical assaults and judicial and administrative harassment were the main human rights violations.