Mexico: No justice for murdered journalists

When will Mexican journalists stop being at risk ? On several occasions, media outlets have demanded the federal government to guarantee the exercise of their work without risks but the strategies implemented by authorities haven't been efficient, furthermore, the majority of murders aren't punished.

On Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists , an NGO that promotes free speech around the world, issued a Global Impunity Index , an annual study about the numbers of unsolved murders of journalists . The report considers that Mexico is one of the worst countries to be a journalist .

Since 2008 , when this report was launched, Mexico has also been included in the Global Impunity Index. It is one of the seven countries that has always appeared on the list but this year, the situation has worsened: despite repeating the 7th position, now the number of unresolved and unpunished cases between 2009 and 2019 , amounts to 31.

According to the report, in the last 11 years, only one journalist murder , the result of their work, has been punished and the perpetrators sentenced to jail.

The committee explains that one of the main causes behind the violence against journalists in Mexico is the “ terror campaign against the media,” launched by cartels . Nevertheless, this is not the only factor. In recent years, politicians have also threatened the press .

Those in power should be the ones showing support to journalists . Until government acknowledges that their words and actions are in the spotlight, where the press has played an essential role, and act with transparency , the protection of journalists won't improve.

Another key factor is the delivery of justice . Investigations often stagnate for years and murders remain unsolved. The main incentive behind the rise in the homicide index in Mexico is impunity . If there is no will to halt violence and punish crimes , the situation won't improve.

U.N. urges Mexico to protect journalists and activists.

gm