Crime reporter murdered in Mexico

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published June 15, 2012

MEXICO CITY: Assailants kidnapped and killed a reporter who covered the crime beat in Mexico's Veracruz state, officials said on Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks on journalists amid a relentless drug war across the country.

Victor Baez, who worked for Mexican daily newspaper Milenio was abducted when he was leaving his office in the town of Xalapa late Wednesday and police found his body in the morning in the city center, said Gina Dominguez, spokeswoman for Veracruz state government.

Dominguez said the assailants were three armed men but did not give details about how Baez was killed.

Next to the corpse was a note signed by the Zetas drug cartel, one of the largest and most feared criminal groups in Mexico, officials said.

"Victor Baez's murderers committed a crime that hurt his family and all journalists. Their aim is to intimidate society," Dominguez told a tearful news conference which was attended by fellow reporters who had worked alongside Baez for years.

Several journalists have left Veracruz state in recent months fearing for their lives, but Baez had insisted on staying to cover his beat.

"He told me, 'Friend, we cannot and should not live in fear and darkness. We won't let them impose terror on us,'" Dominguez said.

Baez is at least the sixth journalist to have been murdered in Mexico in the last two months. One crime reporter was killed in the northern Sonora state and another in Morelos state near Mexico City.

Three other journalists have been slain in Veracruz, which has seen a surge in violence as the Zetas cartel battles rivals for control of drug trafficking routes to the United States.

On Friday, a crime reporter in the northern state of Coahuila went missing along with her 2-year-old son. Stephania Cardoso, 28, works for the Zocalo daily in the city of Saltillo.

"We are deeply concerned by the disappearance of Stephania Cardoso and her son," said Joel Simon, director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

More than 80 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 2000, according to Mexico's National Human Rights Commission. - Reuters
 

Washington Post cartoonist quits over rejected Trump-Bezos illustration

 January 05, 2025:  Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigns after her cartoon depicting media moguls, including Post owner Jeff Bezos, kneeling before Donald Trump was rejected, sparking debate about editorial independence and press freedom.

Renowned CNN anchor Aaron Brown passes away at 76

 December 31, 2024:  Aaron Brown, the renowned CNN anchor known for his 9/11 coverage and journalistic excellence, has passed away at 76. A tribute to his life and legacy.

Vietnamese blogger handed 12-year prison sentence for anti-state propaganda

 November 01, 2024:  Duong Van Thai, an independent Vietnamese blogger who went missing in Thailand, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on anti-state charges. CPJ condemns the harsh sentence, urging his immediate release and the Vietnamese state to end its crackdown on press freedom.

Mexican journalist Paty Bunbury shot dead

 November 01, 2024:  The tragic killing of journalist Patricia Ramírez Gonzalez marks the second journalist murdered within 24 hours in Colima, Mexico, spotlighting urgent concerns over press safety in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.

Financial laws misused to intimidate journalists globally, UNESCO study reveals

 October 28, 2024:  UNESCO's latest report highlights the misuse of financial laws to silence journalists, with findings showing a sharp rise in financial crime allegations against journalists globally. This growing trend poses serious threats to press freedom and media independence.

Three killed in Israeli strike on journalists’ compound in Lebanon

 October 25, 2024:  CPJ condemns an Israeli airstrike in south Lebanon that killed three journalists and injured others, calling for an independent investigation to determine whether the attack was a deliberate targeting of the press.

BBC announces closure of HARDtalk after three decades

 October 16, 2024:  The BBC has announced plans to close its long-running interview show HARDtalk after 30 years. Host Stephen Sackur expresses disappointment, calling it a blow to independent journalism at a time when disinformation is rampant.

How global crises are covered by different media outlets

 October 06, 2024:  Explore how global crises are reported differently by various media outlets globally. This article dives into the media’s role in shaping perspectives, biases, and narratives on major world events.