In an 11 April 2000 letter to President Ernesto Zedillo, IPI strongly condemned the killing of Pablo Pineda, a reporter and photographer for “La Opinion” newspaper in the border city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas. On Sunday 9 April 2000, U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered the body of Pineda, thirty-eight years old, on the U.S. side of […]
In an 11 April 2000 letter to President Ernesto Zedillo, IPI strongly condemned the killing of Pablo Pineda, a reporter and photographer for “La Opinion” newspaper in the border city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
On Sunday 9 April 2000, U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered the body of Pineda, thirty-eight years old, on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande near Harlingen, Texas. The agents watched two men crossing the river with a large package, which they assumed contained drugs. When nobody arrived to collect the bundle, the agents inspected it and found the dead journalist with a bullet wound in the back of the head.
IPI understands that Pineda’s aggressive style of reporting had made him unpopular with both the police and criminals. He had survived a previous attack by a gunman in December 1999 and was severely beaten three years ago. “He had a lot of enemies,” said Martin Castillo, “La Opinion”‘s chief police reporter. “He was a strong person who wanted to discover and uncover anything criminal.”
IPI fears that Pineda may have been killed as a direct result of his activities as a journalist.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– urging that an immediate and thorough investigation into his killing is conducted and that those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice
– further urging that all possible steps are taken to ensure that journalists working in Mexico are allowed to freely and safely practice their profession
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
H.E. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
President
Palacio Nacional
Patio de Honor, Piso 1, Col. Centro
06067 Mexico City DF
Mexico
Fax: +52 5 395 6790
E-mail: http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/pages/f_forma.html
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
