1. Why were journalist targeted and what were they covering that lead to their murder?
2. What types of media laws does Mexico have to protect journalist?
3. Is anything being done to end this war against journalist?
- In an online database, Committee to protect journalist, countries were divided up to show all the statistics regarding journalist in the country. Mexico was provided with this chart.
The highest rate of journalist that were murdered were covering crime. Another chart on the database showed that the journalist murdered were print reporters and predominantly local reporters.
- In the article Mexico: Journalist Killed in Mexico Media Rights Groups are trying to make aware that since 2005 eight journalists have disappeared who were mostly covering government corruption and or organized crime.
-In the book, War on Words, a comment from Mogens Schmidt, Deputy Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information and Director of the Division of Democracy and Peace at UNESCO stated;
"Defining conflict environments is a very delicate and very difficult issue. Take the one number that really pushed the overall numbers forward last year -- the killing in the Philippines as a conflict area or not? We normally define it as a non-conflict area, while we do know that in the southern islands, especially in Mindanao, there is a lot of conflict going on and there is a very strong tension there. You can also take Mexico or Honduras, two countries with a relatively high number of journalists being killed over the last two years. Is Honduras a conflict area? Well, maybe you would define it as that after the trowing out of the former president and the whole unstable situation after that. And, Mexico -- is that a conflict area? No, it's not, but it's an area marred by very, very strong banditry groups, the drug cartels and that of course creates a terrible situation for the journalists. So, my point is that there is a growing problem with the killing of journalists; the targeted killing of journalists."
- In the Committee to Protect Journalist database revealed that the start of the attacks on journalist were between 1984- 1995 where 10 journalists were murdered for working with the publications of Zeta. Among the 10 murdered was the columnist and co-publisher of Zeta. The journalist reporting on criminal and political organizations are often murdered by those they are reporting on.
-In relation to the previous article a newspaper released the article, Ex Police Chief Held in Mexican Killing. The former chief surrendered and was held for covering up the murder of the countries best-know journalist who was murdered in 1984.
- In the article 'The Fragile State of Media Freedom in Latin America' gives an overview of the history of media freedoms in the Americas forming in the 1990s but has seen it reverse. In many cases of the journalist who were murdered, their cases turned into an example to scare away other journalist reporting on the same issues and for findings for the papers they worked for. In 2010 Mexico lost their media freedoms and has had an increase of violence since.
-In the article 'spate of attacks targets journalist in media' Inter American Press Association member, Ricardo Trotti said security is a growing issue in the Americas and has sent a letter to President Vicente Fox to get help from officials and investigations regarding crimes against journalist.
-Also from the article 'spate of attacks targets journalist in media' following an attack of a woman reporter who was badly injured after a shooting attack, police protection was given to two journalist.
- In the online article 'The Fragile State of Media Freedom in Latin America' some Central American countries are working on a 'reward' system for friendly media outlets with advertisements. By complying with the journalist and treating them well they are given advertising to promote themselves. Other countries, like Venezuela, the government has opened media for pro government messages.
-In the article UNESCO Condemns Murderers of Journalists in Mexico and Brazil in 2011 UNESCO demanded the killers of two journalists in the countries be punished. The Director-General, Irina Bokova, became concerned about the amount of women journalist being targeted and wanted to take action to bring it to an end. The article also brought attention to readers that families of journalists are also be targeted as victims.
- In the article Mexico: UN and Regional Experts Urge Government to Take Action to Protect Journalist Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, stated in 2012, "Human rights defenders in Mexico desperately need the State's effective protection now... They continue to suffer killings, attack, harassment, threats, stigmatization and other serious human rights violations." The "Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists" was passed which works to protect those at risk and work to protect others in the future.
- In online article Mexico Takes Big Step Forward in Protecting Professional and Citizen Journalists in 2012 Mexican Senate approved a constitutional amendment that federalizes criminal attacks on journalists so they would have authorities protecting them. The amendment states:
Federal authorities may also take cognizance of crimes in general jurisdiction, when these crimes are related to federal crimes or crimes against journalists, persons, or installations that damage, limit, or impair the right to information or the freedom of expression, or the press.
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