The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), which includes journalists from Mexico, held a meeting with authorities from the Federal Judiciary and the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) to strengthen the institutional response to crimes against the press.
The first meeting was with the President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, in which the IAPA delegation emphasized the strategic importance of strengthening the training of judges on freedom of expression, not only in Mexico, but throughout Latin America.
In addition, the possibility of signing a collaboration agreement was raised, allowing the IAPA to provide training for judges on the scope and limits of freedom of expression, under Inter-American human rights standards.
The IAPA delegation included Roberto Rock, former president of the IAPA and director of La Silla Rota; María Lorente, president of the IAPA Awards Committee and director for Latin America of Agence France-Presse; Armando Castilla, president of Grupo Vanguardia in Saltillo and co-chair of the New Ventures Commission; Carlos Lauría, executive director of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA); José Zamora, regional director for the Americas at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); and Colombian journalist Daniel Coronell, founder of Cambio magazine.
Separately, the IAPA delegation held another meeting with Mariana Díaz Figueroa, Special Prosecutor for Human Rights, and Ruth Zenteno López, the new head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes Against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE), both from the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). During this meeting, they analyzed the crimes committed against journalists in Mexico and the impunity that prevails in most cases.
“We left these meetings with renewed optimism: both the dialogue with the Court and with the Prosecutor’s Office opens concrete opportunities to advance the fight against impunity and strengthen the protection of press freedom in Mexico, through greater institutional cooperation and a clear commitment to inter-American standards,” stated Roberto Rock.
Both the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) and the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) agreed on the need to establish working groups to share information and strengthen the relationship between institutions, the press, and civil society for the benefit of human rights, such as the right to freedom of expression.
Source: oem
