Mexico: Body of disappeared journalist found

English PEN protests the murder of La Verdad de Jáltipan columnist Noel López Olguín, whose body was found in Veracruz state on 1 June 2011 following his abduction on 8 March. A drug gang leader has confessed to killing him. The motive for the crime is not known but it appears likely to be linked to López’ journalism as his articles were reportedly extremely critical of local corruption. López’ death brings to 38 the total of print journalists and writers murdered in Mexico since 2004. The WiPC calls on the federal and state authorities to investigate López’ murder as a matter of the utmost urgency, and to bring the culprits to justice. It also calls on the authorities to implement the journalist protection mechanisms it promised in November 2010 immediately.

A columnist for La Verdad de Jáltipan newspaper, López was abducted in Jáltipan, in Veracruz state, by armed men on 8 March 2011 and was found buried in a clandestine grave in Chinameca, also in Veracruz state, on 1 June. His body was identified by his family the same day. It was located after a drug gang leader arrested by the Mexican army and found in possession of López’ camera confessed on 29 May to killing the journalist and revealed where he was buried. López reportedly died from a blow to the head.

The drug leader gave no motive for the killing. However, it seems likely that it was linked to López’ journalism. He was reportedly sharply critical of local corruption in his articles and columns and had appealed to the public to report abuses by the authorities and organised crime groups. Although López had worked for many years for La Verdad de Jáltipan, as well as for several other papers in Veracruz state, including the weeklies Noticias de Acayucan and Horizonte, media outlets reportedly distanced themselves from him after he was kidnapped for fear of reprisals, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Veracruz state is a major transit point for drugs trafficked to the USA. Los Zetas, a paramilitary criminal gang linked to drugs traffickers, are reportedly particularly active in the region of Jáltipan, where López lived and worked.

Background

Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to work as a journalist. Since January 2004, 36 print journalists and two writers have been murdered, while nine print journalists have gone missing. Nine of the killings and three of the disappearances occurred in 2010 alone. Few if any of these crimes have been properly investigated or punished. PEN International believes that it is likely that many of these writers were targeted in retaliation for their critical reporting, particularly on drug trafficking. While organised crime groups are responsible for many attacks, state agents, especially government officials and the police, are reportedly the main perpetrators of violence against journalists, and complicit in its continuance.

To read PEN’s bulletin on López’ disappearance, please click here.

Useful links

- Report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): English, Spanish
- Report by Reporters Without Borders: English, Spanish

Please send appeals:

- Protesting the murder of newspaper columnist Noel López Olguín, who was abducted in Jáltipan, Veracruz state, on 8 March 2011, and whose body was found on 1 June after a drug gang leader confessed to killing him;
- Calling for a full and impartial investigation into López’ murder, focusing on his journalistic work as a possible motive, with the involvement of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Freedom of Expression, as well as into all other unsolved journalist killings and disappearances in Mexico;
- Calling on the government of President Felipe Calderón to fulfil promises to make crimes against journalists a federal offence, by amending the Constitution so that federal authorities have the power to investigate, prosecute and punish such crimes;
- Calling on the federal authorities to implement the journalist protection mechanisms it promised in November 2010 immediately.

Appeals to:

President
Lic. Felipe De Jesús Calderón Hinojosa
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850, DISTRITO FEDERAL, México
Fax: ( 52 55) 5093 4901/ 5277 2376
Email: felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx
Salutation: Señor Presidente/ Dear Mr President

Attorney General
Lic. Arturo Chávez Chávez
Procurador General de la República
Av. Paseo de Reforma No. 211-213, Piso 16
Col. Cuauhtémoc, Defegacion Cuauhtémoc
México D.F. C.P. 06500
Tel: 52 55 5346 0108
Fax: 52 55 53 46 0908 (if a voice answers, ask “tono de fax, por favor”)
E-mail: ofproc@pgr.gob.mx
Salutation: Señor Procurador General/Dear Attorney General

Special Prosecutor for Crimes against Freedom of Expression
Dr Gustavo Salas Chávez
Fiscal Especial para la Atención de Delitos Cometidos contra Periodistas (FEADP)
Email: feadp@pgr.gob.mx

Please also send copies of your appeals to the Mexican Embassy in the UK:

His Excellency Mr Eduardo Medina-Mora
Embassy of Mexico
16 St George Street,
London
W1S 1FD
Fax: 4420 7495 4035
Email: emedinamora@sre.gob.mx