In a 2006 summary of world-wide attacks on journalists, Mexico ranked at a shocking second place, only topped by Iraq. Two years later, Mexico is still ranked in the top 10 most dangerous countries for journalists to work in, and this is a democracy we’re talking about. The attacks come from all sides, as both criminal gangs and government officials target journalists who probe a little too deep, and the biggest complaint is how often these crimes go unpunished and how the afflicted have no recourse to justice. One article describes the recent rise in violence:

Over the last few years, grenades have been thrown into newspaper offices, reporters gunned down in the streets and in June, a severed head was left in front of a newspaper office here accompanied by a handwritten threat against its director, Juan Padilla.

Last year 6 journalists were killed, and already in 2008 two have been murdered. This isn’t taking into account all the death threats, attempted murders and violent crimes against other journalists, and we haven’t even gotten to kidnappings yet.

Only Russia—where seven journalists disappeared in the mid-1990s while covering an insurgent war in the republic of Chechnya—has experienced a comparable period of disappearances.

What is especially shocking are the statistics on who is doing the killing, as estimated in a report by the human rights organization, Article19;

Contrary to popular opinion, statistics from Article19 report that state authorities remain the main perpetrators of the attacks, rather than organized crime networks. The Authorities commit 42% of the attacks, with 24% carried out by police, 12% by government employees and 2% by government institutions. Other groups to blame for the aggression include the drug cartels operating in the country (11%) and groups involved in social conflict.

Another part of what makes it so difficult for these crimes to be solved is the fact that murder is a state crime in Mexico, meaning it is handled by local authorities who may fear local retribution or who may even be in on the crime themselves. The lack of federal investigation means that the perpetrators grow bold, seeing there is no one willing to confront them, with the result that crimes are often committed in broad daylight, with no regard for witnesses or police forces. Mexico’s present, Felipe Calderón, has agreed to consider pushing legislation to “federalize” crimes against journalists, but what good will that do, if the most danger comes from the authorities themselves?

Relatives and colleagues of several victims said in interviews that they believe local public officials played a role in the disappearances. In at least five of these cases the missing reporters had investigated links between local government officials and organized crime in the weeks before they vanished.

The situation has become too much to handle for some, like Alejandro Junco, the owner of Mexican newspapers Reforma and El Norte who has announced he is moving his family to America because they no longer feel safe in Mexico.

Some well-documented cases of unsolved crimes against journalists:

• José Antonio García Apac: García reported on organized crime in Michoacán, and the newspaper where he worked published stories on links between local police and hit-men. On November 20th, 2006, he called his house from a phone booth, but was accosted by men demanding he identify himself, and his son overheard him being dragged away before the line went dead. García has not been found.

• Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco: Tijuana journalist Ortiz Franco reported on a story involving drug cartel member Arturo “El Nalgón” Villarreal, claiming that Villarreal was behind the assassination of an Assistant State Attorney. Soon after, Ortiz Franco was shot and fatally wounded inside his car in June of 2004.

• Amado Ramírez Dillanes: Televisa correspondant Ramírez had been receiving death threats on his cell phone after airing a report on local drug traffickers. As he left the Acapulco office on April of 2007 he was shot by an unidentified gunman. Two men were later arrested, but then set free on lack of evidence.

A conference sponsored by Article19 and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) was held in Mexico City on October 6th and 7th, inspiring hopes that some progress might soon be made in the struggle to improve conditions for journalists in Mexico.

Committee to Protect Journalists
Article 19

Mexico continues to be one of the most dangerous countries for journalists [LA Times]

‘Mexican Government is main perpetrator of violence against journalists in Mexico’, says human rights expert [Mexico Reporter]