The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) strongly condemned the takeover of the channel on Tuesday, January 9 TC Television by armed criminalsand urged the authorities to guarantee journalistic work in the country and, in this specific case, to conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute those responsible.

Armed and hooded men entered the station, located in northern Guayaquil, this afternoon as journalists broadcast a live news program. causing a dramatic situation that lasted for at least 30 minutes until police intervened..

IAPA President Roberto Rock condemned the act of violence. “The takeover of a media company by armed criminals is a crime that is extremely serious because of its many consequences.“said the director of the Mexican portal The broken chair.

“In a context of violence, regardless of its origin, authorities must take urgent action to ensure that journalists can practice without fear of reprisal and continue to serve the community,” Rock added.

The chairman of the IAPA Commission for Press Freedom and Information, Carlos Jornet, of the Argentine newspaper The voice of the interiorwarned that “This unacceptable act of intimidation could have had much more dramatic consequences.”.

Jornet added that “the implementation of the mechanism to protect journalists is absolutely necessary. Any further delay will only worsen the precarious situation in which the media operate. who are the chosen target because they denounce criminal actions and the links of drug gangs with political, police and penitentiary groups. “When a television medium is attacked during its entire broadcast, it is attempting to establish civil terror.”

The IAPA indicates that it had already expressed alarm last December about the rise of organized crime violence and threats against the press in Ecuador. (JO)