(RSF/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter sent by Reporters sans frontieres to United States President Bill Clinton on the occasion of the visit to the USA of Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. The letter calls Clinton’s attention to numerous violations of press freedom in Mexico. **For background to cases, see IFEX […]
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter sent by
Reporters sans frontieres to United States President Bill Clinton
on the occasion of the visit to the USA of Mexican President
Ernesto Zedillo. The letter calls Clinton’s attention to numerous
violations of press freedom in Mexico.
**For background to cases, see IFEX alerts of 20 August, 16 July,
and 23 May 1997**
“13 November 1997
“Mr. President,
“On the occasion of the visit to your country of the President of
the Republic of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo, on the 13th and 14th of
November, Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), an international
organization defending freedom of the press, wishes to call to
your attention the numerous attacks on press freedom which have
occurred recently in Mexico.
“On 16 October, during your trip to Latin America, you expressed
your concern about the pressures on the press throughout the
Latin American continent and you proposed the creation of a
committee to protect journalists at the Organisation of American
States.
“This problem is of particular concern in Mexico. During the
first seven months of 1997, 3 journalists were assassinated in
the course of their professional activities, making this one of
the countries where the number of journalists assassinated is
among the highest in world. In 1996, 58 Mexican journalists were
victims of assaults or threats. The pressures on the media are
sometimes subtle, through bias in the granting of government
advertising contracts and of radio and television frequencies,
depending on the editorial line of the media in question.
“Along the United States border, notably, the journalists who are
researching drug trafficking and corruption work in particularly
dangerous conditions. In this manner, on 15 July 1997, Benjamin
Flores Gonzalez, director of the daily newspaper `La Prensa de
San Luis Rio Colorado’ in the state of Sonora, was assassinated
by 16 shots from an automatic rifle. The crime was attributed to
the Juarez Cartel: in his editorials, the journalist criticized
drug traffickers and local officials accused of corruption.
“Of the three assassinations of journalists which occurred this
year, this is the only one that has led to arrests. Light must
also be shed on the assassinations of Victor Hernandez Martinez
and Jesus Abel Bueno Leon so that these crimes do not go
unpunished.
“On 6 November, President Ernesto Zedillo created an inter-
ministerial commission on human rights with the mandate to ensure
that Mexico respects its international commitments on the issue.
Reporters sans frontieres asks you to share your concerns on the
issue of respect for freedom of the press during your meeting
with the Mexican head of state so that these crimes do not go
unpunished and the pressure against the Mexican media ceases.
“We would like to take this opportunity to refer you to our
report on Mexico titled `The New Dangers of the Democratic
Transition’.
We hope to receive a prompt reply to our concerns.”
Appeals To
Similar appeals can be sent to:
President Bill Clinton
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC
20500-001
USA
Fax: +1 202 456 2883
