[NYTr] Three media workers murdered in Mexican state of Oaxaca Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:52:23 -0500 (CDT) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit sent by Milt Shapiro (mexnews) Committee to Protect Journalists 330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465-1004 Fax: (212) 465-9568 Web: http://www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org Contacts: Carlos LaurC-a, program coordinator Phone: (212) 465-9344, x120; E-mail: clauria@cpj.org MarC-a Salazar, researcher Phone: (212) 465-9344, x118; E-mail:msalazar@cpj.org Three media workers murdered in Mexican state of Oaxaca New York, October 9, 2007-Three media workers for the Oaxaca-based daily El Imparcial del Istmo were shot and killed on Monday afternoon while driving in the southern state of Oaxaca in a vehicle bearing the paper's logo. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the attack today and called on Mexican authorities to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation. At 1:15 p.m., an Equinox SUV with tinted windows chased and then blocked an El Imparcial del Istmo truck along a highway connecting the cities of Salina Cruz and Tehuantepec, according to Mexican press reports. According to El Imparcial del Istmo, unidentified individuals got out of the car, and shot the van's driver Mateo CortC)s MartC-nez and delivery workers AgustC-n LC3pez Nolasco and Flor VC!squez LC3pez at close range. According to Mexican press reports, El Imparcial del Istmo's Regional Director Gonzalo DomC-nguez received an anonymous telephone call later that afternoon stating he was "next." Luis David Quintana, the daily's deputy director, told local reporters that the newspaper had received several threatening e-mail messages and letters in the last month warning that the paper should tone down its coverage of local drug trafficking gangs. "We offer our deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Mateo CortC)s MartC-nez, AgustC-n LC3pez Nolasco, and Flor VC!squez LC3pez," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "We condemn this brutal attack, and urge local and federal authorities to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation and to bring all those responsible to justice." In the last year, reporters and media outlets in the state of Oaxaca have been attacked in retaliation for their critical reporting, CPJ research shows. On August 5, an unidentified assailant shot and wounded journalist Alberto FernC!ndez Portilla outside his home in Salina Cruz and warned him not to "mess with our leader." FernC!ndez had reported extensively on corruption involving Mexico's state-owned oil and gas monopoly PetrC3leos Mexicanos (Pemex) and its local union in Oaxaca. On October 27, 2006, Bradley Roland Will, a 36-year-old documentary filmmaker from Illinois, was killed during a street battle in the provincial capital of Oaxaca between anti-government protesters and armed plainclothes men, many identified by witnesses as working for the local government. Will's killing remains unsolved. Mexico is one of the most dangerous places for journalists in Latin America, CPJ research shows. Drug trafficking and organized crime have both become greater problems there in the last couple of years, and reporters who cover these dangerous stories are threatened and killed. CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom around the world. ---------------------- Tres trabajadores de prensa asesinados en el estado de Oaxaca Nueva York, 9 de octubre del 2007-Tres trabajadores de prensa del diario de Oaxaca El Imparcial del Istmo fueron asesinados a balazos el lunes en la tarde mientras se trasladaban en un vehC-culo marcado con el logotipo del diario en el estado sureC1o de Oaxaca. El ComitC) para la ProtecciC3n de los Periodistas (CPJ, por sus siglas en inglC)s) condenC3 hoy el ataque e instC3 a las autoridades mexicanas a conducir una investigaciC3n pronta y exhaustiva. A la 1:15 p.m., una camioneta Equinox con vidrios polarizados persiguiC3 y obstaculizC3 el paso de una camioneta de El Imparcial del Istmo sobre la carretera que conecta a las ciudades de Salina Cruz y Tehuantepec, informC3 la prensa mexicana. SegC:n El Imparcial del Istmo, individuos no identificados bajaron del auto y dispararon contra el conductor Mateo CortC)s MartC-nez y los voceadores AgustC-n LC3pez Nolasco y Flor VC!squez LC3pez. SegC:n la prensa mexicana, el director regional de El Imparcial del Istmo, Gonzalo DomC-nguez, recibiC3 una llamada telefC3nica anC3nima mC!s tarde en la que le indicaban "Sigues tC:". Luis David Quintana, subdirector del diario, indicC3 a la prensa local que el periC3dico habC-a recibido varios correos electrC3nicos y cartas durante el C:ltimo mes en los que se les advertC-a que debC-an bajar el tono de su cobertura sobre mafias narcotraficantes. "Ofrecemos nuestras mC!s sinceras condolencias a las familias, amigos y colegas de Mateo CortC)s MartC-nez, AgustC-n LC3pez Nolasco y Flor VC!squez LC3pez", indicC3 Joel Simon, Director Ejecutivo del CPJ. "Condenamos este ataque brutal, e instamos a las autoridades locales y federales a conducir una investigaciC3n pronta y exhaustiva y a enjuiciar a todos los responsables". Durante el C:ltimo aC1o, reporteros y medios de comunicaciC3n en el estado de Oaxaca han sido atacados en represalia por sus reportajes crC-ticos, segC:n informaciC3n del CPJ. El 5 de agosto, un individuo no identificado disparC3 e hiriC3 al periodista Alberto FernC!ndez Portilla frente a su casa en Salina Cruz, advirtiC)ndole "no te metas con nuestro lC-der". FernC!ndez habC-a informado sobre temas de corrupciC3n que involucran al monopolio pC:blico de gas y petrC3leo PetrC3leos Mexicanos (PEMEX) y a su sindicato local en Oaxaca. El 27 de octubre del 2006, Bradley Roland Will, cineasta independiente de Illinois y reportero para el sitio Web de noticias radicado en Nueva York Indymedia, fue asesinado durante un conflicto callejero entre manifestantes antigubernamentales y hombres vestidos de civil, identificados por testigos como supuestos funcionarios del gobierno local. El asesinato de Will sigue sin resolverse. El trC!fico de drogas y el crimen organizado han convertido a MC)xico en uno de los lugares mC!s peligrosos para periodistas en AmC)rica Latina, segC:n las investigaciones del CPJ. Desde que la guerra entre poderosos carteles de la droga se intensificC3 hace mC!s de dos aC1os, los reporteros que cubren estos temas han sido vC-ctimas de amenazas y asesinatos. El CPJ es una organizaciC3n independiente sin C!nimo de lucro radicada en Nueva York, y se dedica a defender la libertad de prensa en todo el mundo. --------------------------------------------- MarC-a Salazar Researcher, The Americas Investigadora, Las AmC)ricas Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 330 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10001 Tel.: 1 (212) 465-9344, Ext. 118 Fax: 1 (212) 465-9568 E-mail: msalazar@cpj.org Web: http://www.cpj.org * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================