Mexican officer’s murder reinforces impunity
In June, CPJ traveled to Ciudad Juárez to report on the extraordinary challenges that Mexican reporters face in covering the drug trade. As CPJ’s Mike O’Connor noted in his report, self-censorship is rife and many critical stories are uncovered. The primary reason is impunity: Those who kill or threaten journalists know there is almost no…
Mexican man sentenced to 16 years for journalist’s murder
On June 3, 2009, Mexican Judge José Alberto Ciprés Sánchez sentenced Hiram Oliveros Ortiz to 16 years in prison for the 2004 murder of journalist Roberto Javier Mora García, editorial director of the Nuevo Laredo-based daily El Mañana, the paper reported. The following day, Oliveros’ attorney appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of the…
Five suspects detained in Mexican journalist’s killing
We issued the following statement in response to a report in the Mexican daily Milenio today that five men were detained in connection with the May 25 killing of Eliseo Barrón Hernández, a reporter and photographer for the local daily La Opinión in the northern Durango state…
Mexican journalist held for 25 hours after criticizing mayor
On May 9, 2009, four police officers in masks arrested Simón Tiburcio Chávez, publisher of the monthly newspaper Nuevo Amanecer in Alvarado, a city in the southeastern state of Veracruz. The journalist told CPJ that he was held for 25 hours without charge. Tiburcio said he believes his arrest was retaliation for two photographs published…
Mexican journalist who covered police is abducted and killed
New York, May 26, 2009–Authorities found the body of a journalist who covered the police beat in northern Mexico this morning after he was abducted from his house on Monday night, according to Mexican news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on local and federal authorities today to conduct a thorough investigation and bring…
Mexican journalist in coma after attack by former official
José Luis Ortega Vidal, 42, editorial director of the daily Notisur in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz was severely injured after falling off a staircase on the morning of March 3, 2009. He was attempting to flee from a former official who was threatening him and other journalists with a gun, according to witnesses…
Mexican editor’s home shot at in Sinaloa
Early in the morning of February 9, 2009, about 25 gunshots were fired from at least one assault rifle at the home of Moíses García Castro, editor-in-chief of the Guasave-based daily El Debate in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa, according to local news reports and CPJ interviews. There was minor damage to the house…
Mexican journalists face ever-increasing danger
There is an often-repeated phrase among journalists: No story is worth dying for, we say. But journalists are dying in every region of the world. In Iraq, in Somalia, in Russia, in Bolivia, in the Philippines, journalists died last year while reporting the news in their countries.
Mexican reporter released from U.S. detention center
According to U.S. and Mexican news reports, reporter Emilio Gutiérrez Soto was released on Thursday from a detention center in El Paso, Texas, where he had been held for seven months while awaiting an immigration hearing. Gutiérrez illegally entered the United States in June fearing for his life and that of his son after receiving…