In an open letter, NGOs have warned the president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, of a possible plan to kidnap a journalist in the state of Veracruz. In the letter, the International Press Institute (IPI) and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) urged Mexican authorities to investigate the situation and take necessary measures to guarantee the journalist’s safety.
According to the NGOs, there are “allegations that former and current state officials in Veracruz may be planning to abduct or harm journalist Jorge Carrasco Araizaga.”
According to Proceso, the magazine Carrasco works for, the threats against him are a result of his investigation into the murder of journalist and Proceso correspondent Regina Martínez Pérez.
“We respectfully remind you that Mexico has a responsibility under international law to protect journalists as they carry out their role of informing the public. The allegations made against Veracruz authorities should therefore be investigated swiftly and seriously,” added the letter.
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.
