Joint meeting on the safety of journalists in Mexico

On Tuesday 7 April at 16.30, the Danish Union of Journalists, PEN and IMS are hosting a briefing on the situation of journalists in Mexico with visiting Mexican journalist Marta Durán and Iván Báez from the UK-based press freedom group ARTICLE 19.

Marta Durán is one of many Mexican journalists who has received death threats. She and Iván Báez will discuss the situation of Mexican media workers which has significantly worsened since Nieto became president 2 and half years ago. The three organisations, It will then be considered to what extent the three organisations represented by Chairman of the Danish Union of Journalists, Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, Jens Lohmann from PEN and Jesper Højberg, Executive Director of International Media Support will then join the discussion on what can be done to improve conditions for journalists in the country.

The meeting is mainly for members of the Danish Union of Journalists. To participate, please email Sara Skovmoes at sas@journalistforbundet.dk.

Background on the situation of journalists in Mexico by Jens Lohmann, PEN

Mexico is still one of the most dangerous countries to work as a journalist. The good news is that fewer journalists are killed under the current government in Mexico. The bad news is that assaults and persecution of journalists have increased by 60 per cent since president Peña Nieto came into power in December 2012. Three out of five assaults, according to the UK press freedom-organisation ARTICLE 19, are carried out by the authorities.

Death threats, harassment, assaults, abductions, detentions and layoffs, are among the means politicians and authorities use to keep journalists silent. While the government seeks to portray an image of less violence, journalists have to live and work in constant insecurity. When will they or their families be assaulted, abducted or murdered?

While some journalists for the sake of their families choose to go into hiding, several defy the threats and continue working. They are protesting, publicizing their situation, and continue to uncover corruption and power abuse from top to bottom in the Mexican society. While attacks on journalists have mainly taken place in the provinces until now, the capital Mexico City is no longer a sanctuary.

Impunity reigns with over 95 per cent of the murders and other assaults on journalists over the past decades unsolved and not investigated. The perpetrators and the people helping them are not detained, convicted or imprisoned. Over 100 journalists have been killed and 17 have been disappeared over the last ten years. It is a clear illustration of how dangerous it is to be a journalist in Mexico.