Rodríguez, 29, had been facing a possible 300-day jail sentence on a public disorder charge, plus a fine for refusing to admit her guilt, ever since she and 10 other people were arrested during a 13 May demonstration in Temuco against the “HydroAysen” hydro-electric project. She had been covering the protest.
Just two days before Rodríguez’s court appearance, an appeal court in the southen city of Puerto Montt ordered the suspension of the very controversial project, involving the construction of five 2,750-megawatt power stations.
“Do these two court decisions, coming just two days apart, mark a move towards a calmer debate on environmental issues within Chilean society?” Reporters Without Borders asked. “We hope that that the withdrawal of the charges against Rodríguez means that an issue of major public interest is no longer off limits.”
The press freedom organization added: “It was for the sake of this principle and the legitimate right to report news and information that Reporters Without Borders acted as Rodríguez’s guarantor and supported an appeal that was submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on 21 June, the eve of the withdrawal of the charges.”
