A media organisation representing more than 1,300 print publications has issued a statement censuring Premier Ewart Brown for reducing contact with The Royal Gazette and Mid-Ocean News.

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) — which defends press freedom throughout the Americas — said the decision to limit the flow of information from the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Tourism and Transport to the two newspapers was "an act of discrimination".

IAPA president Enrique Santos Calderón, editor of the Bogotá, Colombia, newspaper El Tiempo, said: "Friction between the press and the government has to be accepted as being normal and the government has no excuse in this for discriminating, an attitude that goes against international precepts that make it clear it is a government's obligation to make public information widely available so as to show transparency in its administration and to guarantee access to information to all citizens."

The comments follow the IAPA's criticism of the Government in March last year, when it axed subscriptions and advertising with The Royal Gazette.

The IAPA statement noted that it criticised and characterised the Government's actions last year as a "reprisal", motivated by this newspaper's A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign for freedom of information.

Robert Rivard, chairman of the IAPA's committee on freedom of the press and information and editor of the San Antonio Express-News in Texas, said the latest edict concerning the two newspapers was wrong.

"To limit access to information of public interest is detrimental to citizens in that it restricts their right to know and that of the news media to provide news and carry out their role in an effective way," he said.

Mr. Calderón and Mr. Rivard called on Dr. Brown's government to "rethink its decision, be transparent in the delivery of information and move away from taking exclusionary decisions that go against freedom of the press in its country".

Article 19, the global campaign for freedom of expression and information, joined IAPA in calling for Dr. Brown's decision to be reversed at the weekend.

Executive director Agnes Callamard said: "Such a decision is simply irresponsible and in contravention with international human rights standards.

"Under article 19 of the [Universal Declaration of Human Rights'] International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, states are requested to protect the free flow of information and the right of everyone to receive and impart information."

She said governments were duty-bound to be the government of all people, not just those who vote for them or whom they like.

"Picking and choosing whom to give information to is only violating freedom of expression and freedom of the media, a cornerstone for democracy. It also impedes professional journalism and prevents the readers from accessing vital information. It constitutes, no doubt, censorship.

"It is also opening the door to the possibly worse kind of abuses. What if the information withdrawn from The Royal Gazette is of crucial importance to people's well-being or dignity? The readers will not be made aware of it and could suffer."

Dr. Callamard added: "Premier Ewart Brown's decision is illegitimate, in violation of international human rights standards regarding freedom of expression and imperils democracy in Bermuda. It must be reversed."

Dr. Brown said last week that he took the decision "in order to prevent a total breakdown of communication between the Premier's office and these publications" and to try to "reduce the rancour and lower the toxicity that have become the norm".