(PFC/IFEX) – Angel Mario Ksheratto, author of the daily column “Fichero Político” published in the “Cuarto Poder” newspaper, is facing defamation charges. María del Pilar Fernández, communications manager of the Chiapas School Construction Committee (Comité de Construccion de Escuelas, COCOES), filed a complaint against the journalist after he reported on corruption at the state-run entity. […]
(PFC/IFEX) – Angel Mario Ksheratto, author of the daily column “Fichero Político” published in the “Cuarto Poder” newspaper, is facing defamation charges. María del Pilar Fernández, communications manager of the Chiapas School Construction Committee (Comité de Construccion de Escuelas, COCOES), filed a complaint against the journalist after he reported on corruption at the state-run entity.
Ksheratto told PFC that, in the past few days, he has received an increasing number of death threats by telephone and, on several occasions, has been pursued by individuals in vehicles without licence plates.
In August 2002, Ksheratto reported on the results of an investigation into alleged irregularities and the existence of a network of corruption in COCOES, which is believed to operate under director Carlos Alberto Cruz Coutiño, with the consent of Chiapas State Governor Pablo Abner
Salazar. The cases that the journalist cited include, among others, the irregular awarding of bonds and work projects.
According to the evidence Ksheratto gathered, del Pilar Fernández reportedly received US$4,159 for medical expenses through falsified documents.
“Cuarto Poder” journalists Amet Samayoa Arce, Miguel González Alonso and Roberto Domínguez Cortez and “Cuarto Poder” director Conrado de la Cruz Jiménez have also received threats and been harassed because of the newspaper’s reporting and its criticism of the Chiapas government.
In a letter to President Vicente Fox, PFC expressed concern over the persecution of Ksheratto and some of his colleagues in Chiapas, who have been victims of campaigns to tarnish their reputation waged by media sympathetic to the state government.
In addition, PFC urged President Fox to “reform the Chiapas State Criminal Code, which restricts the exercise of journalism and freedom of expression by stipulating that the publication of information on public officials, irregardless of its veracity, is a crime”. Finally, PFC called on the president “to condemn those institutions and public officials who interfere with journalists’ work or restrict the right to information.”
For the letter to President Fox, reports and additional information on the case, see:
http://portal-pfc.org/perseguidos/2002/120.html
Recommended Action
Send appeals to President Fox:
– asking him to ensure that Ksheratto is protected
– calling for an investigation into the origin of the death threats and the individuals who were tailing the journalist
– urging him to advocate for the dropping of the charges against Ksheratto or for the journalist’s exoneration
Appeals To
Lic. Vicente Fox
President of the Republic
E-mail: secpar@presidencia.gob.mx
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
