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International organizations for freedom of expression urge to receive rapporteurs from United Nations and IACHR in Mexico

World organizations for the defense and promotion of freedom of expression asked President Peña Nieto to invite the special rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression at the United Nations (UN) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to find solutions to the crisis of violence and impunity affecting Mexican journalism.

by WAN-IFRA Staff executivenews@wan-ifra.org | May 29, 2017

Dismayed by the murder of journalist Javier Valdez on May 15 in Culiacán, the organizations jointly condemned the increase in murders and attacks against journalists during the current six-year term.

The organizations united to “speak with one voice in asking your government to step up its efforts to end the impunity for those who wish to silence journalists and rid the country of the pervasive mentality that believes intimidating an editor or a reporter carries no consequences.”

They highlighted the importance of opening “the door to the above-mentioned special rapporteurs to examine the rising level of violence and propose solutions that tackle impunity, once and for all.” The special rapporteurs for freedom of expression at the UN and the IACHR have made an official request to visit the country to evaluate the situation, yet it has remained unanswered by the Mexican government.

The organizations also urged the government “to sincerely commit itself to engaging in meaningful dialogue and implementing effective solutions on behalf of the profession of journalism, before the environment for freedom of expression worsens any further.”

The letter was signed by the directors of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ARTICLE19, International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), Fundación Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano Gabriel García Márquez (FNPI), Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, Rory Peck Trust, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Freedom House.

About WAN-IFRA:

WAN-IFRA is the global organization of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. Based in Paris and Frankfurt, with regional offices in Chennai, Singapore, and Mexico City, its mission is to protect the rights of journalists across the world to operate free media, and provide its members with professional services to help their business prosper in a digital world and perform their crucial role in open societies. With formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe, it derives its authority from its global network of leading news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs, and its legitimacy from its 80 member publisher associations representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries.

 

For more information, please contact:

Rodrigo Bonilla, WAN-IFRA LATAM Manager

rodrigo.bonilla@wan-ifra.org

+52 55 4172 1212

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