Relatives of Juan José Hernández Andrade, the Mexican reporter detained since Dec. 1, said that they managed to raise funds to pay bail to release the journalist so that Hernández could continue his legal battle in freedom, reported the newspaper El Mundo de Córdoba on Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Hernández is the director of the community station Radio Diversidad, in the eastern state of Veracruz. The station currently is facing a lawsuit filed by ex-Mayor Rafael Pacheco for operating on a radio frequency without permission or concession from the state. However, at the time, Radio Diversidad had a pending operator's permit with the Ministry of Communications in order to transmit in the city of Paso del Macho, according to El Sol de Córdoba.
"This is the second arrest against a member of Radio Diversidad, a station that was closed Mar. 11, 2009, through an operation of the Attorney's General Office in response to a warrant issued by a federal criminal court," said the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in a statement.
Despite these difficulties, Hernández and another broadcaster, José Maza Galindo, launched another community radio station on the internet, LaPrecisa.net with the help of AMARC with the goal to continue reporting; but the broadcasters said goodbye to audiences May 2011 amid fears of further judicial issues, said the newspaper El Sol de Orizaba.
