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

Mexican Journalists Form “Mexican Journalists in Exile” Group

Recent threats to press freedom in Mexico have led two men to form Mexican Journalists in Exile, a solidarity group for fellow journalists fleeing death threats, as they have done.

Gutierrez Soto, 45, was threatened after writing a newspaper series quoting witnesses who said Mexican soldiers were caught “robbing people at gunpoint.”

“You’ve published three articles; don’t publish another one,” Gutierrez said a Mexican colonel and general told him. “If you do publish another one, we’ll kill you.”

Gutierrez stopped writing about alleged military abuses and filed a complaint with the national human rights commission. Three years later he received another death threat, though the Mexican military denies it. Gutierrez is looking for asylum in the U.S.—although it is rarely granted to journalists—and show that he has “a well-founded fear of persecution.”

Luis Aguirre, editor of a Mexican news website, may also request asylum. Aguirre received a death threat after writing columns that criticized the state attorney general’s office.

“Lots of people are threatened, and they don’t have alternatives,” said Aguirre.

Threats to press freedom seem to be occurring more and more frequently in Mexico, and I think it is noble of these men—who were threatened themselves—to create a group that could help colleagues in future, life-threatening instances.

Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)

Film Captures Mexico’s Flawed Media System

“Voces Silenciadas” (Silent Voices), a new documentary directed by Maria De Lara, was filmed to increase awareness of Mexico’s persecuted journalists and show the even greater problems of media ownership and the media’s relationship with political powers.

The film’s aesthetics did not receive top-notch ratings, but De Lara does include moving interviews with well-known Mexican journalists (including Carmen Aristegui), writers and media executives. De Lara makes the case that issues like violence against journalists and freedom of expression are in critical condition. A culture of “self-censorship” is developing as media workers who cover the government and organized crime must be cautious about the stories they cover because they could possibly jeopardize their lives.

The film shows “how concentrated media ownership in Mexico has reduced the range of opinions in Mexico’s media and silence[d] unwanted ones.” Two companies—Televisa and TV Azteca— control 92 percent of Mexican T.V. stations, dominating the media Mexican’s view. Because Mexicans have hardly any control of the news they can watch, the hope is for average Mexican citizens to watch this film and become more enlightened about the struggle going on around them. I think documentaries like this are a fantastic way to spread awareness and promote change, and change is definitely needed in order to increase Mexico’s media and press freedom.

Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)

Mexico: Drug Traffickers Fire Grenade at Televisa Studio

The increasing drug trade in Mexico has led to an increase in journalist killings as journalists go behind the scenes to investigate and report on drug trafficking. Keirin’s article about Armando Rodríguez (killed after examining Mexican drug cartels) emphasizes this point.

A group of men opened fire and launched a grenade into Televisa studios, Mexico’s top television network. According to a Newswatch article, the gunmen left a note that said, “Stop reporting on us.” Clearly, the act was meant as a threat to journalists to keep out of the drug traffickers’ business, but I think the government must intervene and protect journalists from such violence.

Carlos Lauría, a senior program coordinator for CPJ, said “Drug traffickers are clearly using the media to spread a message of fear and terror and make clear to everyone that there will be consequences to reporting on their activities. The government cannot allow criminals to intimidate the media into silence.”

So what should Mexico’s government do? They must complete their pending law to make violence against the press a federal crime, as mentioned in Urja’s article on Calderon’s efforts.

CPJ research shows that Mexico is “one of the most dangerous places for journalists in Latin America.” I agree with Lauría and think that Mexico’s government needs to start cleaning up the drug trafficking if it wants to step away from this title and into a more journalist-friendly, “media free” environment.

-- Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)

Journalist fatally shot outside home in Ciudad Juárez

As both Liz and Urja have pointed out in our first two blog posts, the slaying of journalists has become a popular and unprecedented trend in Mexico over the past couple of years. Even with organizations such as Freedom House lending aid and encouraging Mexican officials to put an end to these atrocities, journalists are still living under the threat of being killed as a result of their profession. I believe it’s important to not only bring these killings to the attention of the world, but to also make them more tangible by sharing stories of individual reporters and their tragic stories.

Armando Rodríguez, a veteran police reported that had been investigating drug cartels in the city of Ciudad Juárez, was shot to death in November of 2008 while he was in his car outside of his own home. According to El Diario, the newspaper he had worked for, the gunmen had been waiting for him as he was preparing to bring his daughters to school. Rodríguez’s killing was the fifth against Mexican journalists in 2008.

According to the Dallas Morning News, after this event, the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York issued a statement urging Mexico to end the attacks and slayings of their journalists. “’The unprecedented wave of violence against the Mexican press must be halted immediately,’ said Carlos Lauría, the committee’s senior program coordination for the Americas.”

I completely agree with Lauría and the rest of the advocates for ending crimes against journalists in Mexico and around the world. It is completely ridiculous that governments and crime groups, which are sometimes unfortunately one in the same, are pinpointing these people to suppress the freedom of speech and press in their countries.

by Keirin Ahmad