Originally aired on FSRN

HOST INTRO: Journalists held marches across Mexico over the weekend to call attention to a rising tide of violence against the media and to protest the impunity surrounding the cases of dozens of murdered reporters. Shannon Young files this report from Mexico City.

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(reading names)

The Mexico City march began by reading the names of the 64 press workers murdered in the past decade. Ten journalists have been killed so far this year, putting 2010 on target to be the deadliest year ever for Mexican reporters. Eleven others are officially considered “missing persons”.

A column of around 1000 journalists and supporters participated in the silent march to Mexico’s Interior Ministry. Reporters held smaller demonstrations in 11 other Mexican cities.

(Elia Baltazar w/ translation)

Newspaper reporter and march organizer Elia Baltazar said the demonstrations marked the first time journalists have turned out in large enough numbers to affect traffic, but that reporters shouldn’t have to be in the streets protesting.

ELIA BALTAZAR: “Our place is in the streets only when we are reporting from them. That’s what we want – to continue reporting and informing the public. Demonstrations are not our place. This demonstration was an exception because we believe it’s time already to call the attention of the public. Journalists can no longer be silent on this matter. It needs to be brought before the public opinion.

Mexico has ranked as the Western Hemisphere’s deadliest country for journalists for several years. But what catalyzed reporters to hit the streets now was the recent kidnapping of 4 reporters in a single day. Three of the kidnapped worked for national broadcast media – a sector that hasn’t seen as much violence as the smaller, regional press. July was also a particularly deadly month, with 4 reporters murdered over a span of 8 days.

(Chants of “ni uno mas” )

Reporter and Editor Francisco Ortiz said it was about time the Mexico City press corps mobilized in support of media workers based in more dangerous areas of the country. Ortiz lives and works in Ciudad Juárez, the epicenter of Mexico’s Drug War. He said that reporters there have to be very cautious about how they cover the city’s top news story.

FRANCISCO ORTIZ: “You have to be careful about what you say. You have to know what to publish and what not to publish due to serious threats against reporters in Ciudad Juárez. Those who cover the crime beat may receive threats by phone for reporting a story that could either damage or benefit any of the criminal groups fighting for control of the city.”

Ortiz adds that organized crime isn’t the only sector trying to influence coverage.

FRANCISCO ORTIZ: ”There’s an ongoing campaign right now in Juarez in which the state and municipal governments try to convince journalists to report more positive things about the city than negative. As if this alone would end the violence. It’s not a question of whether to report on the violence because it exists or if the violence exists because it’s being reported. It makes no sense.”

While Mexico City-based media tend to run a lower risk of targeted assassinations, they are not immune to campaigns of intimidation and harassment. The federal government does have a special office to prosecute crimes against journalists – but it has been the subject of much criticism from those who have registered their cases.

Zosimo Camacho is the newsroom manager of Contralinea. He says the investigative news magazine has documented three office break-ins and multiple threats before the special prosecutor’s office, but they haven’t received any response.

ZOSIMO CAMACHO: “The delay with which they’ve taken on cases – not just ours, but of aggressions against journalists around the country – results in practically no action. We could say that none of the incidents of crimes against journalists have been solved. So, we have little faith that this situation will really change because we don’t see an earnest political will to act in defense of the freedom of expression and the right to information.”

Press freedom organizations argue that it’s precisely the lack of official action that enables crimes against journalists to continue. Ricardo Gonzalez is with the Mexico chapter of the international press freedom organization, Article 19.

RICARDO GONZALEZ: “The impunity regarding the crimes and violence against the press is rampant. I mean, we’re talking about around 98 percent of cases that remain impune at the moment – which obviously is an open invitation for future perpetrators. There is a high probability that you will get caught by the police for I dunno – crossing a light or something – but not for doing something to attack a journalist.”

The intensity of crimes against journalists and the lack of official action to protect the freedom of expression has not gone unnoticed. On Monday, Special Rapporteurs from both the United Nations and the Organization of American States began a 16-day fact-finding mission in Mexico.

Shannon Young, FSRN, Mexico City.