This year will be the deadliest on record for journalists in Mexico, with 18 killed so far, human rights organization Article 19 said in a report Thursday.
“2022 could be the worst year in a century for the journalists”: Article 19
Talking to Reuters, the organization’s regional director Leopoldo Maldonado said “2022 could be the worst year in a century for the press”. Of the 18 deaths, Article 19 had identified a potential link to their work in nine cases so far.
In a little over eight months, the death toll for 2022 has already outpaced the 13 murders recorded last year and the 14 recorded in 2020. Article 19 found the deaths were linked to the victims’ profession in about half of the cases in 2021 and 2020.
Notably, the group has recorded a total of 331 attacks against journalists. The majority of which entail intimidation and harassment. Some of them also received threats, while a handful of cases involved the alleged abuse use of public power.
That marks a 51.83% increase compared to the first half of 2018
Article 19 said that two journalists have fled the country during the first half of the year. Also, four journalists had been forcibly displaced within the nation. “The role that the authorities have in the violence against the press clearly reflects a breach of the state’s obligations to guarantee the rights and integrity of journalists and the media,” the report added. Moreover, Article 19 alleged that the state was responsible for the majority of attacks against the media.
However, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said repeatedly that his government does not attack the press and that recent murders were by criminal groups.