Title: A resolution condemning violence against journalists in Mexico and expressing support for strengthening deterrent, protective, and accountability measures to prevent violence against journalists and safeguard the freedom of the press in Mexico.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses unwavering commitment to and support for strengthening deterrent, protective, and accountability measures to prevent violence against journalists and safeguard the freedom of the press in Mexico.
The resolution also encourages the Mexican government to

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 702 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 702

   Condemning violence against journalists in Mexico and expressing 
  support for strengthening deterrent, protective, and accountability 
  measures to prevent violence against journalists and safeguard the 
                    freedom of the press in Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 12, 2022

   Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. 
Wyden, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Hickenlooper, and Ms. 
 Klobuchar) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning violence against journalists in Mexico and expressing 
  support for strengthening deterrent, protective, and accountability 
  measures to prevent violence against journalists and safeguard the 
                    freedom of the press in Mexico.

Whereas the United States and Mexico share extensive economic, security, 
        cultural, and democratic ties, especially a mutual commitment to 
        respecting and promoting universally recognized human rights, democratic 
        values, and the rule of law;
Whereas freedom of the press is an essential component of democratic governance, 
        as recognized in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, done at Lima 
        September 11, 2001, and journalists should have the right to report the 
        news objectively, in safety, without retribution or threats thereof;
Whereas attacks against journalists and other media workers is a significant 
        concern for freedom of the press and human rights in Mexico, especially 
        among journalists and other media workers who report on public 
        corruption and illicit activities and are frequently subject to threats, 
        coercion, intimidation, surveillance, forcible relocation, violence, and 
        even death;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, more than 150 journalists have 
        been killed in Mexico since 2000;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, Mexico was the most dangerous 
        country in the world outside a war zone for journalists for the third 
        consecutive year in 2021 and ranked 127 out of 180 countries in the 
        World Press Freedom Index in 2022;
Whereas, as of 2022, the Committee to Protect Journalists has documented 15 
        cases of missing reporters in Mexico, the highest number of any country 
        in the world;
Whereas, in 2022, at least 12 extrajudicial killings of journalists have 
        occurred in Mexico, including the killings of--

    (1) Jose Luis Gamboa Arenas on January 10;

    (2) Alfonso Margarito Martinez Esquivel on January 17;

    (3) Maria Guadalupe Lourdes Maldonado Lopez on January 23;

    (4) Roberto Toledo Barrera on January 31;

    (5) Heber Lopez Vasquez on February 10;

    (6) Jorge Luis Camero Zazueta on February 24;

    (7) Juan Carlos Muniz on March 4;

    (8) Armando Linares Lopez on March 15;

    (9) Luis Enrique Ramirez on May 5;

    (10) Yessenia Mollinedo Falconi on May 9;

    (11) Sheila Johana Garcia Olivera on May 9; and

    (12) Antonio de la Cruz on June 29;

Whereas at least 9 of the 12 journalists murdered in Mexico in 2022 were killed 
        in direct connection with their work, according to Reporters Without 
        Borders;
Whereas the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has sometimes 
        demonstrated hostility towards the free press and enabled an unsafe 
        working environment for independent journalists by regularly, publicly 
        disparaging and intimidating journalists who are critical of the 
        policies of or investigate corruption related to associates of his 
        administration;
Whereas perpetrators of violence against journalists in Mexico are rarely held 
        to account, with Mexico ranking among the countries with the most 
        unsolved murders of journalists per capita and more than 95 percent of 
        crimes against journalists in the country going unpunished, according to 
        the International Federation of Journalists;
Whereas initiatives taken thus far by the Government of Mexico to address 
        violence against journalists, namely the creation of the Federal 
        Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists 
        (referred to in this preamble as the ``Federal Protection Mechanism'') 
        in 2012, have not achieved stated goals and have been marred by 
        significant implementation issues, according to a March 2019 report by 
        the Washington Office on Latin America, including--

    (1) insufficient financial and human resources;

    (2) inadequate risk analysis and protection protocols;

    (3) limited transparency and oversight; and

    (4) limited coordination between local, State, and national entities;

Whereas the decision by President Lopez Obrador to eliminate independent funding 
        for the Federal Protection Mechanism in October 2020 has the potential 
        to further exacerbate the resource constraints of the Federal Protection 
        Mechanism and undermine the ability of the Federal Protection Mechanism 
        to protect at-risk journalists and other human rights defenders;
Whereas, as a result of a failure to rectify recognized issues with the Federal 
        Protection Mechanism, at least 9 journalists have been killed while 
        receiving protection in Mexico, with the majority of such journalists 
        killed during the tenure of President Lopez Obrador, according to Human 
        Rights Watch;
Whereas the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Office of the High 
        Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico have expressed concerns about 
        violence against journalists in Mexico, asserting that ``impunity in 
        attacks against journalists fosters further violence against reporters 
        and may inhibit the exercise of freedom of expression'', and offered 
        recommendations to address such concerns;
Whereas, on March 10, 2022, the European Parliament passed a resolution on the 
        situation of journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico; and
Whereas the United States Government has expressed concern about violence 
        against journalists in Mexico and demonstrated a willingness to assist 
        the Government of Mexico in strengthening human rights protections and 
        freedom of the press: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses unwavering commitment to and support for 
        strengthening deterrent, protective, and accountability 
        measures to prevent violence against journalists and safeguard 
        the freedom of the press in Mexico;
            (2) condemns consistently high levels of violence against 
        journalists in Mexico, including recent and ongoing spikes in 
        extrajudicial killings and high levels of impunity for such 
        violence;
            (3) encourages the Government of Mexico--
                    (A) to strengthen efforts to protect the free press 
                and journalists, including by--
                            (i) committing sufficient resources to 
                        address threats to the free press and 
                        journalists; and
                            (ii) tailoring protection measures to 
                        account for the specific challenges of 
                        conducting journalistic work;
                    (B) to ensure a thorough and impartial 
                investigation into all threats of violence reported by 
                journalists and the provision of immediate access to 
                protective measures for journalists who make such 
                reports;
                    (C) to refrain from actions and statements that 
                create a more hostile environment for the free press 
                and journalists;
                    (D) to pursue public awareness campaigns to 
                recognize and elevate journalistic work and the freedom 
                of the press;
                    (E) to pursue effective measures, in close 
                coordination with local and State entities and civil 
                society organizations, to strengthen deterrent, 
                protective, and accountability measures to address 
                violence against journalists; and
                    (F) to conduct comprehensive and transparent 
                investigations into the deaths of journalists to ensure 
                all responsible parties are prosecuted to the fullest 
                extent of the law;
            (4) encourages further efforts by the Government of 
        Mexico--
                    (A) to address deficiencies within the Federal 
                Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 
                and Journalists (referred to in this resolution as the 
                ``Federal Protection Mechanism'');
                    (B) to bolster the capability of the Federal 
                Protection Mechanism to achieve its stated purpose; and
                    (C) to develop additional measures that incorporate 
                relevant recommendations by civil society groups, the 
                United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for 
                Human Rights, and the Inter-American Commission on 
                Human Rights to safeguard journalists and the free 
                press;
            (5) supports efforts by civil society groups, the United 
        Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and 
        the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights--
                    (A) to monitor violence against journalists and 
                media workers in Mexico;
                    (B) to provide technical assistance and other 
                support to the Government of Mexico to address concerns 
                about such violence; and
                    (C) to disseminate accurate information on the 
                state of freedom of the press in Mexico; and
            (6) calls on the Department of State and United States 
        Agency for International Development to prioritize the 
        protection of the media and efforts to prevent, investigate, 
        and prosecute cases of violence against journalists in 
        diplomatic engagement with, and foreign assistance to, Mexico.
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