No Excuse: Mexico must break cycle of impunity in journalists’ murders
Mexico’s press is caught in a deadly cycle of violence and impunity, with journalists in Veracruz state at particular risk of kidnap and murder. Despite authorities appointing a special prosecutor to investigate crimes against freedom of expression and establishing a protection mechanism for journalists, a lack of political will to end impunity exposes Mexico as…
No Excuse
Covering corruption in Mexico means living with impunity By Adela Navarro Bello It is a feeling of frustration that stays with you. Current affairs in Mexico today are dominated by two prevalent issues: corruption and impunity. Every story, breaking news or media report originates from these two issues. And to practice journalism here means to…
No Excuse
Fighting impunity should be priority for Mexican government By Carlos Lauría Violence tied to drug trafficking and organized crime has made Mexico one of the most dangerous countries in the world for the press. Since 2010, CPJ has documented more than 50 cases of journalists and media workers killed or disappeared. But in nearly every…
No Excuse
Moisés Sánchez: Justice blocked by delays, errors As he was dragged from his home and into a waiting car, José Moisés Sánchez Cerezo pleaded with his attackers, “Please don’t hurt my family.” His wife, who at the time was embracing her two young grandsons, could only gaze in horror as Sánchez, the 49-year-old editor of…
No Excuse
Marcos Hernández Bautista: the rebel reporter Marcos Hernández Bautista usually brushed off death threats. But in January 2016, the reporter who regularly covered government corruption in towns near the Pacific coast of Oaxaca state in southern Mexico, received several menacing phone calls that seemed more serious and left him fearing for his life, said his…
No Excuse
Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz: A barbaric silencing Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz was not a journalist who went looking for danger. But living and working in a small town in Veracruz state—mired by gang warfare, human trafficking, and a lucrative trade in kidnap for ransom—meant he covered stories that could put in him danger.
No Excuse
Federal efforts to protect journalists fall short The Mexican government has responded to the crisis by creating a special federal prosecutor to investigate attacks against the press and a safety mechanism to help at-risk reporters. But journalists with whom CPJ spoke say the measures don’t go far enough.
The Best Defense: Threats to journalists’ safety demand fresh approach
Much work remains to be done to improve the security of journalists in the face of unprecedented threats, including the spread of violent non-state actors, the shrinking rule of law, resurgent authoritarianism, and an industry shift toward reliance on freelancers. Journalists, news outlets, and press freedom groups must find approaches that go beyond traditional training…