(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the murder of freelance photographer Saúl Suárez Sandoval, who contributed to the dailies “La Hora Durandeña” and “La Prensa de Durán”. He was shot dead on 14 February 2006 in Durán, a suburb of Guayaquil in southwestern Ecuador, 24 hours after the killing in the same city […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the murder of freelance photographer Saúl Suárez Sandoval, who contributed to the dailies “La Hora Durandeña” and “La Prensa de Durán”. He was shot dead on 14 February 2006 in Durán, a suburb of Guayaquil in southwestern Ecuador, 24 hours after the killing in the same city of José Luis León Desiderio, of Radio Minutera.
“Two murders of journalists in less than 24 hours give rise to the fear that there is a growing climate of insecurity for the media, even if it is not yet proven that the victims’ journalistic work was the cause of their murders,” the press freedom organisation said.
“The motive of theft appears to be ruled out in both cases so work-related motives should therefore be taken into account. We urge the authorities to do their utmost to see that light is shed on these two murders”, RSF added.
Suárez Sandoval, 43, was shot four times after being approached by a man driving a car just after he mounted his bicycle to return home after making a call from a telephone booth.
Witnesses, quoted by several Ecuadorian dailies, saw Suárez Sandoval being approached by a man in a car and the two men exchanged a few words. The driver then pulled out a gun and opened fire. The journalist was hit by two bullets in the spine, a third in the right leg and a fourth in the abdomen. He died shortly after arrival at the Luis Vernaza hospital in Guayaquil.
The dead man’s brother, Héctor Suárez, stressed that nothing had been stolen from him and that the murder may be linked to his profession. His brother had apparently told him that he was being followed for several days.
However, there has also been speculation that the motive for the attack may have been that the journalist allegedly owed money to some Colombians.
