Attacks on the Press in 2013: Mexico
The climate of press freedom in Mexico, despite a new president, remained perilous. Although President Enrique Peña Nieto gave final approval to a measure adopted at the end of Felipe Calderón’s term that gives federal authorities broader jurisdiction to investigate crimes against freedom of expression, the special prosecutor’s office designated to handle such investigations dragged…
Journalists silenced as cartels reach outskirts of Mexico City
A POSTHUMOUS RELEASE OF MIKE O’CONNOR’S FINAL PIECE FOR CPJ New York, January 15, 2014–Organized crime has taken over Neza, a town on the outskirts of Mexico City, but journalists are not reporting on it because they fear for their lives, the late Mike O’Connor found in his final article for the Committee to Protect…
Paying tribute to Mike O’Connor
With the sudden death of CPJ Mexico Representative Mike O’Connor, 67, Mexican journalists have lost one of their most formidable advocates. Mike will be remembered as someone who was on the forefront of the struggle for press freedom. Below are some of the many tributes:The New York Times. The Guardian El Nuevo Herald AP The…
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists, December 2013
End-of-year Impact As 2013 draws to a close, CPJ looks back on the highlights of the year, when we stepped in and advocated for journalists and news outlets at risk around the world. Thank you for all you have done to support us, and please continue to join us in our important work.
Remembering Mike O’Connor
It is a sad end to 2013 for the global press freedom community. With the sudden death of CPJ Mexico Representative Mike O’Connor, 67, on Sunday, Mexican journalists have lost one of their most formidable advocates. Mike will be remembered as someone who was on the forefront of the struggle for press freedom. His superb…
Mexico drops charges in Blancornelas murder attempt
New York, September 6, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the decision of a Mexican judge to dismiss charges against Marco Arturo Quiñones Sánchez, one of the gunmen implicated in the 1997 assassination attempt against J. Jesús Blancornelas, founder and former editor of the Tijuana-based weekly magazine Zeta. The editors of Zeta told…
Journalists in exile 2013
Somalis, Syrians flee violence; Iran crackdown deepens Fifty-five journalists fled their homes in the past year with help from the Committee to Protect Journalists. The most common reason to go into exile was the threat of violence, such as in Somalia and Syria, two of the most deadly countries in the world for the profession.…
Family murdered, Veracruz journalist seeks asylum in US
A fellow newspaper photographer phoned him and said he had to get right over to his parents’ home because something very bad had happened. When Miguel Angel López remembers seeing when he got there was “just blood. You can’t understand that much hatred.” He was talking about the murders of his mother, his father–a senior…
What’s risky? In Mexico’s twin cities, journalists don’t know
The Durango state governor was on his way to meet with reporters. Before he arrived, the reporters huddled to decide the question of the moment. It seemed obvious: Why had a former mayor been arrested the day before in what clearly seemed to be a political move? “That was the only question,” a reporter said…
