By Ingrid Bachmann
The attorney general’s office decided to restructure the Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Journalists, which will now focus specifically on crimes against media workers who are attacked for their profession, El Universal and EFE report.
The new Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Freedom of Expression will direct, coordinate, and supervise the investigation into and prosecution of crimes committed against those who engage in journalism, La Jornada explains. Unlike its predecessor, this office will be able to work on cases at the state level.
Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist, with 89 percent of killings going unpunished. In three and a half years, this office prosecuted less than five percent of the cases it has investigated. The NGO Article 19 called the restructuring “insufficient,” as it will still follow the same general regulations that restricted the effectiveness of its predecessor.
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.
