Two Latin American journalists will be recognized this year at the rededication of the Journalists Memorial of the Newseum, a U.S.-based museum and institute dedicated to freedom of expression.
Mexican photojournalist Rubén Espinosa Becerril and Brazilian radio host Gleydson Carvalho are among the 20 journalists from around the world who will represent all communications workers killed in 2015.
“Each year, the Newseum rededicates its Journalists Memorial in recognition of the dangers in the profession of journalism and those who have died in pursuit of news and information,” according to a press release from the museum, which is located in Washington D.C.
Espinosa, a photojournalist for Proceso newsmagazine, was killed in a Mexico City apartment on July 31 after fleeing to the capital from the southern state of Veracruz out of fear for his life. His death, along with those of four women in the apartment, drew international attention for its brutality and symbolism: even the capital of Mexico was no longer safe for journalists.
Two men fatally shot Carvalho on August 6 while he was taping his show at Radio Liberdade FM in Camocim, Ceará. At the time, a coworker told news outlet G1 that Carvalho was threatened because of political denunciations he made.
Brazil and Mexico were the third and eighth deadliest countries around the world, respectively, for journalists in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Other journalists to be included in the memorial were killed in Turkey, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Pakistan, Somalia and Bangladesh, according to the Newseum release. Journalists killed in the Jan. 7 attacks on the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo and U.S. journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward of WDBJ-TV who were killed on August 26 are also being recognized.
The rededication takes place at the Newseum on June 6 with keynote remarks from Gérard Araud, ambassador of France to the United States. RSVP to attend in person or live stream the event here.
Last year, the Newseum honored Paraguayan journalist Pablo Medina who was killed, along with his assistant, while on assignment in October 2014; he was the sole Latin American journalist recognized by the institute that year.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
