A regulation issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) expanded registration requirements for fixed and mobile telephone users, obliging operators to keep records of user data and provide them to state security agents upon request, without a judicial order. The Law against Hate for Peaceful, Coexistence and Tolerance (Law Against Hatred) imposed harsh prison sentences of up to twenty years for inciting hatred, including on social media. Political changes aimed at strengthening the government in power, such as the installation of a new National Constituent Assembly in August 2017, were accompanied by new laws curtailing freedom of expression and privacy. Venezuela's internet freedom further deteriorated during the past year due to declining internet connectivity, bolder online censorship, and reprisals against critical news reporters and social media users. He reappeared a couple of days later, half naked and with signs of physical violence (see Intimidation and Violence). In November 2017, a reporter for the website Dolar Today went missing after publishing a piece about irregularities in a penitentiary center. In January 2018, three teenagers were detained by intelligence agents, accused of inciting hatred via chat groups and social networks calling for protests against the government (see Prosecutions and Detentions for Online Activities).Īrbitrary arrests, harassment, attacks and confiscation of equipment belonging to media workers continued to be reported. Social media users experienced the first series of arrests under the new anti-hate speech law. In June 2017, users from various cities in Venezuela reported that several social media platforms – including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Periscope – were temporarily inaccessible (see Blocking and Filtering).Ī vaguely worded "Law Against Hatred" introduced hefty prison sentences for inciting hatred, including on social media, and established that intermediaries can be fined if they do not remove offending messages within six hours of their dissemination (see Legal Environment). In November 2017, internet service providers were able to increase tariffs, but this remained insufficient to cover demands (see Availability and Ease of Access).Ī wave of blockings targeted online news sources during the past year. ![]() Telecommunications services continued to deteriorate with the country's deepening economic crisis, as users experienced frequent failures and blackouts. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. ![]() UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2018 - Venezuela, 1 November 2018, available at:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |