(PFC/IFEX) – On 16 December 2002, the state of Morelos’ Public Prosecutor’s Office (Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, PGJE) summoned Francisco Guerrero Garro and Fabiola Escobar, director and reporter, respectively, from the newspaper “La Jornada de Morelos”. The summons was used to inquire about articles published by the newspaper in relation to PGJE’s preliminary […]
(PFC/IFEX) – On 16 December 2002, the state of Morelos’ Public Prosecutor’s Office (Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, PGJE) summoned Francisco Guerrero Garro and Fabiola Escobar, director and reporter, respectively, from the newspaper “La Jornada de Morelos”.
The summons was used to inquire about articles published by the newspaper in relation to PGJE’s preliminary investigations on certain criminal cases.
When journalists investigate cases of corruption or other irregularities, they normally indicate in their reports how the information was obtained and how it can be elaborated. Whenever information is not included in the articles, it is generally because it is considered prudent to protect the sources of the information.
PFC believes that if the authorities wish to use journalistic investigations for their own purposes, they must limit themselves to the information contained in the published reports and avoid the practice of interrogating journalists. Moreover, having to respond to an authority over the information revealed by the media produces an inhibiting effect and constitutes a form of censorship.
In a letter to PGJE head Guillermo Adolfo Tenorio, PFC denounced the summoning of journalists from “La Jornada de Morelos” and any other media, noting that it “constitutes an attack on the protection of sources and freedom of expression.”
Moreover, PFC is concerned that there is no willingness on the part of the authorities to stop the interrogation of journalists, and fears that it could extend to other federal, state and local entities in Mexico. The Morelos PGJE is not the first to resort to this practice. For several months, the Attorney General’s Office has been summoning journalists from “La Jornada” and “El Universal” newspapers in Mexico City (see IFEX alert of 3 December 2002).
In December, the National Human Rights Commission (Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos, CNDH) reported opening 43 cases in 2002 for the apparent violation of the ability to practice journalism freely, demonstrating the worrying situation for press freedom in Mexico.
PFC notes that the questioning of journalists either indicates a certain inability by the investigative government institutions to collect their own information or, in order to hide their deficiencies, is being used to restrict the media from publishing cases that the government should have discovered and investigated diligently.
For PFC’s protest letter (in Spanish only), as well as additional information on the case, see: www.portal-pfc.org/perseguidos/2002/118.html
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Morelos state public prosecutor:
– calling on him to end the practice of interrogating journalists
Appeals To
Guillermo Adolfo Tenorio
Morelos State Public Prosecutor
Fax: +52 777 329 1500
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
