Venezuelan NGO "Espacio Público" (Public Space) counted 244 reports of freedom of expression violations, registered in 201 cases/events during 2011, which represents an increase of 16% over 2010.

According to a report presented by the NGO, "Each week of 2011, (in average) 4.3 cases of violations of the content and scope of the right to freedom of expression occurred in Venezuela. These data point out to continuous freedom of expression violations."

The most frequent patterns or types of violations recorded were aggression (25.9%), intimidation (21.9%) and threat (17.9%). This implies that in 2011 there was an increase in violence against journalists in comparison to 2010, when censorship (26.9%), aggressions (23.8%) and judicial harassment (15.5%) were the most frequent hurdles faced by journalists and the media.

Impunity is present in all cases of attacks and assaults on journalists and the media, added Espacio Público. The NGO stressed that both journalists and private media are the target of continued insults by senior government officials and the State-run Media System (SNMP).

State agencies are the main actors involved in freedom of expression violations, particularly security bodies (17.3%), administrative agencies, especially the National Telecommunications Commission - Conatel (13.7%) and hackers/crackers (10.8%).

Just like in previous years, Espacio Público's report, called "An Outlook of Freedom of Expression in Venezuela in 2011," was published on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated on May 3.

Translated By Karen Daza