Mexican journalists in the drug-violence-wracked city of Ciudad Juarez called on Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Tuesday 12 October to take action against the climate of impunity shrouding attacks on journalists, joining calls made by freedom of expression groups last month.

In an open letter to the president, who was visiting the northern Mexican city, the Association of Journalists of Ciudad Juárez (APCJ) wrote: “We make public our concern and dissatisfaction because we do not want more deaths and assaults against journalists … .

“We are part of a society that suffers by living in the country’s most violent city, where the practice of journalism has become a high-risk activity and without doubt, the biggest enemy is the impunity … .

“We demand that the Mexican Government effectively assume their responsibility to ensure the integrity of all who live in this city and fulfil the commitment to prosecute those responsible for the wrongs against fellow journalists.”

The letter came following the death last month of 21-year-old Luis Carlos Santiago Orozco, who was shot leaving a photography workshop with fellow El Diario de Ciudad Juárez photographer Carlos Manuel Sanchez Colunga.  After the shooting the newspaper ran a front-page editorial suggesting it would reduce its coverage of the drug violence in an effort to keep its journalists safe.

According to the International Press Institute’s Death Watch, Orozco was the 11th journalist to be killed in Mexico this year, making the country the most dangerous in the world for journalists.

Last month, press freedom and freedom of expression groups from across Mexico and the world met to discuss the deteriorating situation in the country and the effect the violence is having on journalists.

Calling the government’s response to the assaults on journalists “insufficient”, the organisations vowed to strengthen their own efforts and called on the government to make attacks on journalists a federal crime, ensuring that the murders of journalists are dealt with on a federal, rather than local, level. The involvement of local authorities in some of the reported attacks on journalists has been a growing concern, contributing to the climate of impunity.

On 9 and 10 September, international and Mexican freedom of expression organisations met in Mexico City to share experiences and knowledge regarding security practices for journalists. Possible opportunities for long-term collaboration on protective measures to address the security needs of Mexican journalists were also explored.

The seminar entitled “Security, protection and freedom of expression in Mexico”, organised by International Media Support, the Open Society Institute and the Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social (CENCOS), was held within the framework of a series of actions that several Mexican and international non-governmental organisations are carrying out in order to demand that the Mexican government fulfil its obligations to prevent, investigate and punish freedom of expression violations involving journalists and media outlets.

Mexico is considered one of the most dangerous countries in which to practice journalism, and the measures implemented by the government have proven insufficient in confronting this serious problem. As such, the level of insecurity for journalists in Mexico has been increasing and the government’s response has provided few and poor results. The government is also lacking a comprehensive vision that recognises the differing impacts for men and women.

Faced with the insufficient response from the government, the organisations in attendance at the seminar highlighted the need to strengthen their work in supporting, encouraging and advocating on urgent public agenda issues, with the objective of ensuring respect for journalism and freedom of expression in Mexico. The topics covered included: a call for the government to combat impunity by providing adequate resources and authority to the Special Prosecutor and by making freedom of expression crimes a federal offence; encouraging the effective implementation of recommendations issued in the last few years by international human rights organisations, such as those that resulted from a recent joint visit by the rapporteurs for freedom of expression of both the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN); promoting the creation of a national system specialising in the protection of journalists; striving for legislation that ensures plurality and diversity in audiovisual media outlets; promoting a multi-faceted incorporation of gender awareness in the development of protection policies for journalists; and supporting new initiatives geared towards security.

The organisations also agreed that the national and international community must continue to pressure the Mexican government to assume its responsibilities. However, confronted with the lack of guarantees for ensuring the free flow of information, an urgent need for freedom of expression and journalists’ organisations, as well as media outlets and journalists themselves, to adopt alternative protective measures was identified. This includes taking into account the context and level of risk involved in journalism work; adopting adequate preventative measures for covering stories in high risk areas; promoting training of journalists and media outlets to improve the quality of journalistic work; and considering the professional and psychological needs of victims of attacks. This does not absolve the authorities of their duty to fulfil their responsibilities.

Also addressed was the need for freedom of expression groups and journalists’ organisations to continue contributing to and adding to measures that support the right of journalists and media outlets, including community-based media outlets, to carry out their work. The opportunity to include key actors such as academics and citizens in general was emphasised as well.

Signatories:

ARTICLE 19: Global Campaign for Free Expression
Casa de los Derechos de Periodistas
Centro de Periodismo y Ética Publica (CEPET)
Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social (Cencos)
Committee to Protect Journalists
Comunicación e Información para la Mujer (CIMAC)
Foro de Periodismo Argentino
Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) – Colombia
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
International Media Support (IMS)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Programa Prensa y Democracia de la Universidad Iberoamericana (PRENDE / UIA)
Red de Periodistas Sociales “Periodistas de a Pie”
Reporters Without Borders
Rory Peck Trust
Sindicato Independiente de Trabajadores de La Jornada (Sitrajor)
Sindicato Nacional de Redactores de la Prensa (SNRP)
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters