Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico, expressed serious concern over the killings of three journalists and two attempted murders in the month of March.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali urged the government of Mexico, to assure the free environment for the journalist where they perform their duties freely and professional practices.
According to Reporters Without Boarders (RSF), Julio Omar Gómez’s, a freelance journalist was attacked his home in the city of Cabo San Lucas, on 28 March although Gómez’ and his family escaped injury but his guard was killed.
On 29 March, the day after the attack on Gómez, Armando Arrieta Granados, the managing editor of the regional newspaper La Opinión, was fired several shots by unidentified assailants in Poza Rica, in the eastern state of Veracruz. The journalist survived the attack, but remains at a local hospital in a critical condition.
When Gómez’, was director of online news site 911 Noticias, condemned abuses by local officials, corruption and drug trafficking, which is particularly entrenched in this Mexican state. He had recently suspended his journalistic activities after being the target of several previous attacks, including the arson attack on his house. After this incident she has been receiving security under the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists since last December.
In response to the past month’s surge in violence, RSF joins the Mexican media in urging the government to take decisive measures to end the deadly spiral.
“This climate of terror for Mexico’s journalists cannot go on,” Colombié added. “Organized crime and corruption are making it impossible for journalists to work and are condemning them to censorship and silence. It is up to the federal authorities to systematically address this problem, to reinforce the protection mechanisms already in effect and to emphasize the fundamental role that the media must play in a democratic country.”
Alone in March three journalist were shot dead on March 23, Miroslava Breach reporter for the Norte de Juárez and La Jornada newspapers, on March 19, Ricardo Monlui in Veracruz state and on March 2 Cecilio Pineda Birto in Ciudad Altamirano, in the southwestern state of Guerrero.
Mexico is ranked 149th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2016 World Press Freedom Index.