Website Director in Mexico Gets Threats for Reporting on Politician's Activities ARTICLE 19
go to original July 7, 2013

Jaime Delgado, director of the news site Periodismo Negro (Black Journalism), published out of Baja California, reported receiving threats stemming from his journalistic work.

He said he was told that there is a group of people, linked to a political party, that wishes to deprive him of his freedom and beat him. He was also told that retaliation might be taken against his family members who work for the state government.

Interviewed by ARTICLE 19, Delgado said that the threats against him and his family are related to a video that has been distributed by many local and national media outlets, showing a National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional, PAN) representative, who figures in the upcoming 7 July 2013 election, having a conversation with a 15-year-old, with whom he is allegedly having a romantic relationship.

Delgado has been reporting on the actions of this PAN representative since January and in addition to the threats, he has also received intimidating comments via social media in connection with this coverage.

For ARTICLE 19, it is especially worrying that these incidents are connected to the journalist's coverage of politics and elections, when the importance of ensuring that freedom of expression in these contexts must be not be impeded.

ARTICLE 19 has documented, in the current year, seven attacks against the press and on free expression in Baja California. These consisted of one kidnapping, one editorial threat, two physical attacks, one threat and two cases of harassment.

ARTICLE 19 calls on the federal and state authorities to investigate the threats made against Jaime Delgado and his family, and to provide him with protection so that he may freely carry out his work as a member of the press.

Also available in: Español

See the original at IFEX

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