“The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed ‘deep concern’ Tuesday over what it described as a resurgence of censorship mechanisms across various Mexican states. The organization pointed to an alarming pattern of attacks on freedom of expression through court rulings, legislative initiatives, and administrative pressure on independent media outlets.
Among the most serious cases highlighted by the IAPA: In Campeche, a court issued an unprecedented order barring journalist Jorge Luis González Valdez from mentioning Gov. Layda Sansores and requiring the outlet Tribuna Campeche to submit all its content for prior review by a court-appointed monitor. In Puebla, a reform of the penal code broadened the definition of “cyber harassment” in vague terms, enabling the targeting of journalists who criticize public officials. And in Mexico City, the National Electoral Institute (INE) demanded that the news site La Silla Rota hand over documents and sources from an investigative report, under threat of a fine of up to 11 million pesos (about $630,000 USD).
‘These are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of an increasingly hostile institutional environment for journalism,’ said IAPA President José Roberto Dutriz, who is also CEO and general director of La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador. ‘We are concerned that in a democratic country with strong constitutional frameworks, judicial, legislative, or administrative tools are being used to suppress criticism and oversight of those in power.’ ”
