77 Names Added to Slain Journalists Memorial in DC

On Monday, March 30, 77 names were added to the Journalists Memorial in Washington D.C. The wall is part of the Newseum, a journalism and free speech museum, and according to its mission statement, its purpose is to "to help the public and the news media understand one another better and to raise public awareness to the important ole of free press in a democratic society."

Among the 77 names that were added to the wall on Monday were those of five Mexican journalists who fell victim to the drug violence that prevails in their country. Alberto Ibarguen, the Newseum's chairman said about the Mexican journalists' deaths, "These are not long ago and far away events. The story they're covering in Mexico is a story of drugs and corruption and guns."

Among the journalists honored was Armando Rodriguez, the crime reporter for El Diario in Ciudad Juárez that our group had posted about a couple of weeks ago. While our group is to focus on Mexico, the article also mentions reporters whom were honored on Monday from different countries. The other journalists include Magomed Yevloyev, the owner of a Russian news website, and Ryan Rendleman, a student reporter for the Daily Egyptian.

By: Keirin Ahmad, group Mexico