Any action by which a message is directly or indirectly issued verbally, in writing, or otherwise to journalists, communicators, editors, directors or communications media with the objective of procuring self-censorship or direct or indirect censorship. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 289 threats to communicators and media.
Any action that deprives an individual of his or her life. Considered to be the most extreme form of censorship. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 64 homicides in Mexico.
Actions by which a media journalist, communicator, editor, or director stands accused by the courts due to the content of a publication or any other form of media speech with the objective of procuring self-censorship or to discredit said content, causing him or her to run the risk of being sanctioned with prison sentences or the payment of fines. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 22 cases of criminal charges filed against communicators for slander or libel.
Action that brings about a lack of information concerning the whereabouts of a media journalist, editor, director or worker who has vanished without a trace, leaving behind evidence of violence committed by government agents either directly or through tolerance or acquiescence. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 14 disappearances.
A person who finds themselves compelled to flee their city or community as a consequence of a serious violation of their personal safety or threats to the practice of their profession. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented the emigration of 33 communicators for these reasons.
When the arrest of an individual by an officer of the law lacks legal grounds and is in violation of his or her human rights, it is considered illegal and arbitrary. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 152 arbitrary arrests of communicators.
Forms of aggression that seek to cause some kind of physical or material damage to the journalist or media. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 813 physical aggressions against communicators or media. This is the form of violence most frequently committed against the press.
Actions that seek to influence the professional labor, editorial profile or line of investigation of the media journalist, communicator, editor, director, or worker in order to prevent him or her from disseminating specific information. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 257 acts of intimidation or pressure against the press.
Action by which an individual deprives another person of their liberty without seeking profit (unlike kidnapping, where profit is involved) with the objective of compelling him or her to act or to stop acting a certain way; in the case of journalists, to prevent them from publishing information. From 2007 to 2014, ARTICLE19 has documented 36 cases of this form of aggression.
Any intentional act where physical or mental suffering is inflicted on a person with the objective of advancing a criminal investigation, as a means of intimidation, as personal punishment, as a preventive measure, as a prison sentence or with any other objective either by government agents or with their tolerance or acquiescence. In 2014, ARTICLE19 documented the case of journalist Edwin Canché, a victim of torture by the mayor and municipal police force of Seyé, Yucatán.
Mexico is suffering an undeniable human rights crisis. Given the situation, there are many actions that must be taken. First and foremost: continue informing the public. In this documentary, ARTICLE19 presents the cases of five Mexican journalists, all of whom have been victimized by different acts of violence in an attempt to silence their journalistic voices.
EL SILENCIO NO ES UNA OPCIÓN.
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México vive una innegable crisis de derechos humanos. El derecho a la libertad de expresión se ha desgastado en una sociedad que intenta sobrevivir a la abollada transición democrática. Alzar la voz para denunciar, disentir y criticar, conlleva un alto riesgo en este país. Desde 2006, la oficina para México y Centroamérica de ARTICLE19 tiene como misión proteger y promover el derecho a la libertad de expresión y el acceso a la información a través de la documentación y análisis de la violencia contra la prensa en México. Además defiende casos emblemáticos y brinda capacitación como forma preventiva de riesgo.
A nueve años de comenzar nuestra labor, los números crecen, agravándose cada vez más la situación de estos derechos en todas las regiones del país. El promedio anual de agresión contra la prensa durante el gobierno de Felipe Calderón (2006-2012) fue de 182 periodistas violentados. En el primer semestre de 2015, bajo el gobierno de Enrique Peña Nieto, ese promedio anual fue superado por 45 casos. Durante el 2014, 56% de los atentados contra periodistas fueron cometidos por algún funcionario público. El Estado no funciona, quien debería brindar protección se convierte en el principal perpetrador de los ataques, creando un clima de miedo que se respira en cualquier redacción del país.
Toda cifra tiene un contexto, todo caso de censura parte de una historia de vida distinta y posee una consecuencia que afecta no sólo a un individuo sino a una comunidad entera. Estado de censura es un documental web que evidencia el vínculo entre los ciudadanos que ejercen el periodismo y que han sido agredidos y los ciudadanos que, a causa de esas prácticas de censura, pierden su derecho a la información; se limita la capacidad para conocer su realidad y tomar decisiones.
Presentamos aquí las emblemáticas historias de cinco periodistas provenientes de distintas regiones del país y se desempeñan en diferentes ámbitos de la comunicación. Las agresiones a estos periodistas son representativas de los 10 tipos de violencia en los que se clasificaron los casos contra la prensa documentados por ARTICLE19 y publicados en su informe correspondiente al 2014, también titulado Estado de censura. Sus voces nos sitúan no sólo como espectadores, sino también como partícipes de una misma realidad, en los lugares en donde ellas y ellos encuentran las razones para continuar su labor y cumplir con la vocación de informar, a pesar del adverso contexto con el que se encaran día con día.
Ser periodista, ser ciudadano en México es ser testigo de un avasallamiento producto de la violencia que no cesa y que se agudiza. Frente a la retórica de la autocomplacencia y la negación, las voces críticas se vuelven necesarias y urgentes. Estas mujeres y hombres nos enseñan que, en este país y en este contexto, el silencio no es una opción.
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×Welcome to State of Censorship, a web documentary by ARTICLE19 designed to provide an introduction to the violent context faced by journalists in Mexico. Five journalists show us why they have decided, despite everything, to continue their endeavors. Their voices and stories prove that silence is not an option in the face of censorship.