Ms. Flores reported receiving threatening calls at her office in Mexico City on Wednesday 12 March, The incident occurred just two days after she interviewed journalists in the western state of Michoacán, where the federal government has partnered with self-defense groups in the fight against organised crime.
The caller, who identified himself as being from the same state, informed Ms. Flores that he had been following her for the past 15 days after having been hired to harm her.
"It is deeply disturbing to learn that those dedicated to protecting and defending freedom of expression in Mexico are themselves under attack," said WAN-IFRA Area Manager for Latin America, Rodrigo Bonilla.
Authorities in Mexico City took 25 hours to respond to Ms. Flores’ request for urgent assistance, made through the Human Rights Defenders and Journalists Protection Mechanism - official channels established by the government to rapidly respond to threats targeting journalists and media professionals. Ms. Flores also filed a complaint with the Special Prosecutor for Attention to Crimes against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE), the Attorney General of the Republic, and to Mexico City´s Human Rights Commission.
Despite the new mechanisms in place, the Mexican authorities have been strongly criticised for the lack of swift response and inability to bring perpetrators of such violations to justice.
"We need to reinforce my security, but I do not intend to leave my country or my job," Ms. Flores told WAN-IFRA. Police now watch over her private residence as well as her office, while she has significantly limited her movements in the city.
This latest threat against a freedom of expression advocate is not an isolated incident. In April 2013, media rights organisation ARTICLE 19 reported receiving a death threat against its managing director in Mexico, Dario Ramirez. The threats also targeted other Mexico-based employees. To date, the Mexican authorities have yet to resolve the incident.
On Sunday, 16 March Mr. Ramirez reported a burglary at his home. At this stage, ARTICLE 19 cannot determine whether the incident was the result of a regular crime or if it is indeed linked to his advocacy work.
“Like the journalists she works to protect, Balbina Flores has been forced to take safety measures in order to minimise the risks,” said Rodrigo Bonilla. “We urge Mexico’s federal government to investigate swiftly and to punish those responsible for the threats, and to offer better protections for journalists and freedom of expression advocates that allow them to continue their work unhindered.”
WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore and India, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.
For inquiries, contact: Rodrigo Bonilla, Area Manager, Latin America, WAN-IFRA, 96 bis rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 37. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. E-mail: rodrigo.bonilla@wan-ifra.org [1].
