SANTO DOMINGO.- The movement Citizens for Democracy urged Dominicans to rally behind the journalist Nuria Piera, who’s the target of an alleged government smear campaign, she since she began reporting on ruling party senator Felix Bautista’s allegedly corrupt actions.

In a statement, Citizens for Democracy say the pressure brought to bear on Piera and the alleged police persecution of her sources are among the worst forms of censorship of the press and repression against journalistic criticism.

"Not satisfied with having perverted the journalistic exercise to unsuspected levels through direct payment or inclusion of hundreds of journalists on payrolls nationwide, the PLD government of Leonel Fernandez and its officials daily make use of power to obtain by other routes, including blackmail against media owners, and silence those whom they haven’t been able to buy," the movement said.

The group however, didn’t provide the names of its directors or officers in the statement to the media.