The International Press Institute (IPI) was saddened to learn that the body of Mexican journalist Moises Sanchez, who was kidnapped earlier this month, was found on Saturday near the edge of Medellin de Bravo in Veracruz.
Sanchez disappeared on Jan. 2, when nine armed men in civilian clothing removed him from his home. He published a small weekly, La Union, reporting on local government corruption, area violence and residents’ complaints.
The journalist was beheaded and his body disfigured before it was dumped in a ravine near the outskirts of the town. According to Veracruz state prosecutor Luis Angel Bravo, an ex-police officer confessed to having carried out the murder with five other individuals at the behest of the Medellin de Bravo deputy police director, allegedly under orders from Medellin de Bravo Mayor Omar Cruz.
Sanchez reportedly was threatened only days before his disappearance. According to family members, he received threats from Cruz and others during the past year for his reporting.
Cruz enjoys immunity from prosecution as the town’s mayor, but Veracruz state prosecutor Luis Angel Bravo has said he will make a request to the state legislature to lift the amnesty so that Cruz can be charged.
“Our thoughts go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Mr. Sanchez,” IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said. “We urge authorities to take all steps available to bring his killers to justice and to end the scourge of impunity that has lain so heavily on Mexico in recent years.”
[content_boxes layout=”clean-horizontal” columns=”1″ icon_align=”left” title_size=”18″ backgroundcolor=”#d5cb0b” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_radius=”” iconcolor=”#d5cb0b” circlecolor=”#d5cb0b” circlebordercolor=”#d5cb0b” circlebordercolorsize=”” outercirclebordercolor=”#d5cb0b” outercirclebordercolorsize=”” icon_size=”” link_type=”” link_area=”” animation_delay=”” animation_offset=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ class=”” id=””]
[content_box title=”See Related Post” icon=”” backgroundcolor=”#d5cb0b” iconcolor=”#000000″ circlecolor=”#d5cb0b” circlebordercolor=”” circlebordercolorsize=”” outercirclebordercolor=”” outercirclebordercolorsize=”” iconrotate=”” iconspin=”no” image=”” image_width=”35″ image_height=”35″ link=”” linktarget=”_self” linktext=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″]
January 9, 2015: “Kidnapped Mexican journalist remains missing”
[/content_box]
[/content_boxes]