Nestor Jimenez
Newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, p. 8
After the recent attacks on journalists and human rights defenders in various entities of the country, the head of the Unit for the Defense of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior (SG), Enrique Irazoque Palazuelos, maintained that Unfortunately, we have been dragging this situation that we suffer as a Mexican State for more than 15 years, in which the increase in aggressions has not been stopped.
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During the second of the regional forums that have the purpose of establishing new legislation on the protection of defenders and journalists, which took place yesterday in Oaxaca and was broadcast on the Internet, he admitted that there is a complex moment
in the face of the recent murders, and stressed that in the face of this, the federal government has recognized the crisis that has been going on since 2006.
To address this issue, he said, a state vision and co-responsibility of the three levels of government, as well as congresses, are required.
He considered it necessary, as part of the solution, to develop a new legal framework with greater scope, not only to contain the current problem, but also to address the factors that generate the risks.
The norm must establish a national coverage and effective reaction to protect and also prevent, added the also responsible for the protection mechanism for journalists and defenders.
At a minimum, we are proposing that it clarify all the obligations that are being linked in these functions.
protection, as well as strengthening the protection mechanism so that it is national, with binding actions, he stressed after reiterating that in the country there are not only municipal authorities who resist protecting, but they are part of the problem
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The enemies
He explained that the great enemies to be faced in this protection agenda are organized crime, impunity, the lack of collaboration of local authorities, the involvement of municipal authorities with criminal groups, as well as the active participation of municipal authorities in the attacks that human rights defenders and reporters suffer.
He also proposed the creation of a national protocol for the protection of communicators and activists, accompanied by a registry of attacks.
After Oaxacan journalists reproached the lack of follow-up and attention from local authorities at the event held in the capital of the entity, the official stated that from the SG they intend to listen to the voices of the searcher mothers, journalists and those who defend the territory even when dealing with crime.
