World Association of News Publishers


World’s Press Calls for Justice in Murder of Mexican Journalists

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World’s Press Calls for Justice in Murder of Mexican Journalists

Paris – 2009-05-30

Français The World Association of Newspapers has condemned a "climate of impunity"; in Mexico that allows the killers of journalists to avoid prosecution, and has called on President Felipe Calderon to do more to bring the murderers to justice.

Français The World Association of Newspapers has condemned a "climate of impunity"; in Mexico that allows the killers of journalists to avoid prosecution, and has called on President Felipe Calderon to do more to bring the murderers to justice.

"Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to be a reporter, editor, or publisher,"; the WAN Board said in a resolution, issued during its meeting in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday (30 May).

WAN said it was "appalled"; by the murders of 29 journalists in Mexico since 2000. A further eight are missing, and many others have been attacked and threatened.

"Most recently, on 3 May - World Press Freedom Day - Carlos Ortega Melo Samper, a journalist for the newspaper El Tiempo de Durango in northern Mexico, was murdered by a unidentified gunman. Shortly before he died, he had received threats from local authorities in relation to his investigative reporting exposing corruption. Mr Melo Samper claimed in an article that had not yet been published that the local mayor and another senior politician would be responsible should any harm come to him.";

WAN called on President Calderon "to do everything in his power to end all violence against journalists and to halt the climate of impunity enjoyed by those who murder and attack them."; The full resolution can be read at www.wan-press.org/article18133.html.

WAN issued four other resolutions to:

-  Condemn the widespread and growing practice of influencing and censoring independent news coverage through financial pressures on media companies considered to be critical of governments and their policies. These tactics are particularly present in Africa, Latin America, South and East Asia, and some of the countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union. (Read the full resolution at www.wan-press.org/article18154.html).

-  Condemn restrictions to press freedom in Malaysia and the continuous pressures on the media. WAN called on newly appointed Prime Minster Najib Razak to decisively support and promote freedom of the press in Malaysia (www.wan-press.org/article18153.html).

-  Condemn the campaign by the government of Yemen to intimidate the independent press, which includes a series of attacks and harassment carried out by the authorities since 4 May. At least seven newspapers have had copies confiscated or editions suspended and several journalists have been arrested, as the government attempts to silence independent coverage of the increasing tensions in the south of the country. (www.wan-press.org/article18134.html).

-  Condemn the recent violence facing journalists in Somalia, where two journalists have been killed, at least seven have been injured and several others have been arrested or barred from doing their job since the beginning of the year. (www.wan-press.org/article18135.html).

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000 newspapers, its membership includes 77 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 122 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr

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