2024-05-02 07:38:30
In a country like Mexico, internationally classified as one of the most dangerous for journalistic practicethe legal defense of the rights of journalists becomes essential.
This Tuesday, in Citlaltépetl Refuge Housea momentous event was held for the journalistic community: the presentation of the Guide for the Legal Defense of Journalists.
José Mario de la Garza Marroquín, president of the civil organization, participated in the presentation You belong; Raquel Charqueño, Strategic Litigation Coordinator at Perteneces; as well as the renowned journalists Ricardo Raphael and Manu Uresti, along with Silvia Ruiz, representative of the Article 19 organization.
De la Garza Marroquín warned that what we are experiencing today is that, in addition to Mexico is the most violent country To do journalism, there is also legal violence against communicators.
In addition to facing physical attacks, freedom of expression and access to public information, journalists are constantly restricted by various authorities, from public officials to other actors who resort to intimidation and legal threats.
He pointed out that the political class in Mexico has found a mechanism to generate censorship against journalists, particularly in local journalism.
A journalistic investigation appears where human rights violations and corruption are documented and, based on this, lawsuits for moral damages are filed against journalists and the media, he stated.
This legal journey begins where journalists are sued and face a trial that can last up to four years.
This has an effect in several aspects, De la Garza pointed out. First, the economic cost for the journalist, who accumulates lawsuits, almost one per journalistic story.
Another aspect is that it is beginning to generate cessation and self-censorship, because lawsuits, civil or criminal, can condemn the journalist to pay an amount of money that is impossible to settle, in addition to paying lawyers and time.
The president of Perteneces AC also said that the use of moral damage in the Penal Code has been distorted, because it is a tool that can be applied to journalists to intimidate them.
He specified that this problem is also presented in the media, as if it were a matter of journalists acting illegally.
Given this worrying context, Perteneces has launched the Guide for the Legal Defense of Journalists, completely free.
This project is part of its “No Threat” initiative, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Program for the Protection of Defenders and Journalists.
Raquel Charqueño, Strategic Litigation Coordinator at Belongs, highlighted Sin Amenazas is a tool that provides advice to journalists who face lawsuits and who are also victims of criminalization and face stigma.
He stated that this guide that was presented this Tuesday had its origins after it was identified that it was necessary to have a document with accessible language, without technicalities, that would answer the common questions of journalists who face a judicial process as a result of their work.
How can I ensure that they do not sue me for my research work or my opinions, was one of the journalists’ questions during the training process that originated the guide.
But, in addition, it is relevant for communicators to identify the difference between moral damage and crimes that can be directly used to silence journalists.
Guide to Legal Defense
The main objective of the Guide is to provide journalists with the necessary tools to face legal risks and judicial processes that may arise in the exercise of their work.
Based on current legislation and the vast accumulated experience of Perteneces, this Guide is an informative and guiding resource for those who face legal challenges in their journalistic work.
Focused on the rights and responsibilities of journalists, the Guide seeks to reduce the risk of judicial harassment and provide guidance on how to act in the face of legal processes arising from their reporting work.
The document will be available for free download on the site organization websiteperteneces.org.
2024-05-02 07:38:30