While the provincial ruling party speaks of "respecting judicial decisions," journalistic organizations insist that democracy cannot sustain itself without criticism or a free press.
The case was handled by prosecutor Daniel Sosa Piñero from the Early Decision Fiscal Unit under the criminal charges of "disturbing a legitimate act of authority, threats, and incitement to collective violence."
Governor Osvaldo Jaldo, when consulted by the press, avoided criticism of the Judicial Power and stated that "it is a judicial decision that must be respected."
Meanwhile, the Institute of Comparative Studies in Criminal and Social Sciences (INECIP) warned that Tucumán's democracy "is undergoing an institutional degradation with no limits" and denounced a pattern of judicial persecution against those who criticize local powers.
The INECIP's communiqué recalled recent cases that reinforce this concern: the removal of Judge Enrique Pedicone in 2021 after denouncing Supreme Court Justice Daniel Leiva for political interference; and the imprisonment of a lawyer last year for refusing to comply with a similar censorship order.
What the Tucumán justice system calls "institutional protection" in practice resembles an attempt to silence the independent press and shield the most questioned judicial sectors in northern Argentina.
In a province where political and judicial power have historically functioned in symbiosis, Judge Taboada's order revives the debate on impunity, the independence of the judiciary, and the media's right to inform.
The measure, promoted by the Public Prosecutor's Office, was issued by substitute Judge Lucas Taboada at the request of the provincial Supreme Court's Fiscal Minister, Edmundo Jesús Jiménez, a man linked to former Governor José Alperovich, who was convicted of sexual abuse.
The ruling obligates journalists, producers, and hosts from the CCC group to refrain from any criticism "by any means," including radio, television, social media, and digital platforms. In case of non-compliance, sanctions for judicial disobedience will be applied.
The ruling was harshly criticized by press organizations and jurists, who classify it as a "democratic setback" and an act of prior censorship incompatible with the National Constitution and the American Convention on Human Rights.
The complainant, Edmundo Jiménez, filed the lawsuit against Gustavo Aníbal Gabriel Olarte, director and president of CCC, accusing him of having deployed a "harassment campaign" against the Tucumán judicial system through television programs and opinion columns.
Never before had a provincial court imposed such a broad and explicit censorship on media and journalists for their opinions or criticisms.
It also refers to the "police raids" known as "trencitos," in which people from humble neighborhoods are detained without effective judicial control, creating a climate of authoritarianism and fear.
Jiménez, the promoter of the gag, was Minister of Government and Justice during Alperovich's administration, now sentenced to 16 years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse. His permanence as Provincial Attorney General since 2014 and his influence within the Tucumán judicial structure are criticized by various political sectors.
San Miguel de Tucumán, November 10, 2025 – Total News Agency-TNA – The Justice of Tucumán ordered a legal gag order on the media company Compañía de Circuitos Cerrados S.A. (CCC) and its workers, prohibiting them for six months from broadcasting comments or reports that could "injure, discredit, or misrepresent" the actions of provincial judges and prosecutors.
The Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) warned that the decision "affects the citizens' right to information and puts press freedom at risk, representing a clear act of prior censorship."
However, the measure raised alarms on a national level.
Even national deputy Carlos Cisneros, a leader of La Bancada and Tucumán's Peronism, recently accused him of covering up cases of sexual violence involving football players, describing his management as "an institutional degeneration at the service of the old Alperovich power."
The CCC case sets a worrying precedent for freedom of expression in Argentina.
According to the ruling, Olarte would have "made use of the appearance of the right to freedom of expression" to attack prosecutors and officials.
