The killing of a journalist in Mexico – the fifth such incident this year -highlights the alarming situation of freedom of expression in the country, said Amnesty International.
Javier Valdez Cárdenas, founder of Río Doce media and reporter for La Jornada and El Noroeste, was shot dead a few metres away from his office in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa. Javier was known for his work covering organized crime and drug trafficking. In 2011, he received an international prize for press freedom from the Committee to Protect Journalists. This is the second assassination of a journalist from La Jornada in 2017.
“Being a journalist in Mexico seems more like a death sentence than a profession. The continuing bloodshed that the authorities prefer to ignore has created a deep void that is damaging the right to freedom of expression in the country,” said Tania Reneaum, director of Amnesty International Mexico.
“For media professionals who, like Javier, dare to boldly report on issues such as crime and security, the country has become a hostile environment. Media outlets such as La Jornada should not be under threat. This crime, like all the others, should be investigated independently and impartially and all those who are suspected of being responsible should be brought to justice.”
According to the organization Article 19, 105 media and communications journalists have been assassinated since the year 2000. Reporters without Borders have said that in 2016, Mexico was the country with the third highest death toll for journalists worldwide, surpassed only by Syria and Afghanistan.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Elizabeth Berton-Hunter, Media Relations 416-363-9933 ext 332 bberton-hunter@amnesty.ca
