HRW Stated the Alvarado Distorted the Truth

Tom Malinowski

Through a press announcement of Human Rights Watch (HRW) rejected with contempt the declarations of the Secretary of Communication of the Presidency, Fernando Alvarado, who is accused of distorting the events that transpired in the meeting with the spokesman of that ONG in the capital of United States.

Last week Alvarado visited Washington to dialogue with government authorities and representatives of Human Rights regarding the free speech in Ecuador. El Ciudadano, a newspaper of the government, published an interview with Alvarado, where he said that all the non-government organizations that he talked with “understood the reasons of the president to go to court for complains in El Universo case and The Big Brother case.”

Meanwhile Tom Malinowski, the Washington director of HRW, was present in the meeting with Alvarado. Malinowski explained that the description given by Alvarado “deliberately distorts our position regarding the free speech in Ecuador.” The director also pointed out that the free speech in Ecuador is one of the worst in the region.

“Instead of trying to gain legitimacy misrepresenting the views of international organizations like Human Rights Watch, the Ecuadorian government should end the persecution of its critics and repeal rules that restrict the freedom of expression,” added Jose Miguel Vivanco, Director for America of HRW. (AV)