San Jose, Sep 7 (EFE).– The Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Monday published a ruling in which it ordered the Venezuelan government to reinstate the broadcasting license of Radio Caracas Television, or RCTV, which has been confined to cable and satellite since being forced off the air in 2007.

The Costa Rica-based court, a body of the Organization of American States, ruled that it had been “proved that in the present case an indirect restriction was imposed on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression resulting from the use of measures designed to impede the communication and circulation of ideas and opinions.”

The case dates back to May 28, 2007, when the government of then-President Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013, decided not to renew the license of RCTV, the country’s oldest TV station.

The suit says that the closure of the station occurred because its owners refused to change their editorial slant, which was critical of the government.

In the ruling, the court ordered the Venezuelan government to reissue the broadcasting license for RCTV via an “open, independent and transparent” process.

In addition, the court said that “the State must take the necessary measures with the aim of guaranteeing that all future procedures for issuing and renewing radio and television frequencies that may be carried out are conducted in an open, independent and transparent manner.”

During the May 2014 hearing on the suit, Venezuelan counsel German Saltron denied that the refusal to renew the license was due to the station’s editorial slant and said that it was a technical question because the frequency had greater coverage and should be used as a public service.

“RCTV was abusing the right of freedom of expression. In its programming, there was evidence of a constant twisting of the facts, hiding data and manipulation of statements, presenting events in a biased manner that censured the right to true and timely information,” Saltron said at the time.

RCTV ceased its over-the-air broadcasts on May 27, 2007, after the expiration of its last 20-year concession, which the Venezuelan government did not extend, citing the station’s support for an abortive April 2002 coup against Chavez. EFE