The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, will join an international press freedom mission to Mexico from November 2 to 8, 2019, coinciding with International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
Comprised of a coalition of 17 international press freedom and freedom of expression organizations, the mission aims to urge the Mexican government to urgently address the growing crisis of journalist safety and impunity in Mexico, the world’s deadliest country for the exercise of journalism.
Forty-nine journalists have been murdered in Mexico in the last five years alone, according to IPI’s Death Watch. This year, nine out of 25 journalist murders – over one-third – have occurred in Mexico.
Despite the existence of a Federal Protection Mechanism set up in 2012 to protect journalists and a special prosecutor dedicated to investigating attacks on freedom of expression, the impunity rate for crimes committed against freedom of expression sits at a shocking 99 percent, according to a study released earlier this year.
The mission will meet with representatives of the Mexican government as well as Mexican journalists, civil society organizations and family members of victims. Mission delegates will also take part in a ceremony to honour the memory of Mexico’s murdered journalists as well as a UNESCO regional seminar on ending impunity for crimes against journalists in Latin America. A press conference will take place on November 6.
IPI will be represented on the mission by Deputy Director Scott Griffen. See the official mission press release (in Spanish) here.
Press Contact:
Contact: IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen (English/español)
[email protected]
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