More than 500 people signed a letter to the Mexican President calling for the protection of journalists.

(Baonghean.vn) - More than 500 writers, journalists and artists from around the world have signed a letter to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, calling on him to strengthen measures to prevent violence against journalists in Mexico.

Journalists hold up a photo of Ruben Espinosa during a protest at Angel of Independence Square in Mexico City.

Signatories come from over 40 countries and include celebrities such as Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Gael García Bernal, Noam Chomsky, John Coetzee, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Auster, Alan Rusbridger, Gavin Macfadyen, Arianna Huffington, Christiane Amanpour and Jo Glanville.

The letter, posted on the website of PEN International and supported by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), expresses outrage over deadly attacks on Mexican journalists.

The letter referred to the death of photojournalist Ruben Espinosa in Mexico on July 31, calling his killing “the latest in a long line of outrages against the press”:

"Since 2000, dozens of journalists have been killed in Mexico, and about 20 are still missing. Yet most crimes against journalists go unprosecuted.

According to the Mexican Human Rights Commission, there is evidence that government officials are involved in numerous attacks against journalists and media outlets.

Threats of physical attacks on journalists in Mexico are becoming more common, causing concern for freedom of speech and press freedom among many, including PEN and CPJ."

Referring to Espinosa's murder, the letter states that he fled to Mexico City after receiving what he considered serious threats to his life in the state of Veracruz. The letter reads:

"Since the governor of Veracruz state (Javier Duarte) came to power in 2010, journalists have been harassed, threatened and killed in unprecedented numbers: 14 have been murdered and three have disappeared in the same period."

The letter calls on President Peña Nieto to step up actions to end violence against journalists:

"In Mexico, statistics show that crimes against the press go unpunished. According to the Human Rights Commission, 89% of murders remain unsolved"

The letter calls on the president to "ensure that an immediate and effective investigation is carried out" into the killing of Espinosa "and other journalists in similar situations in Mexico.

The letter also calls for "a thorough investigation of state officials who, in many cases, may have been involved," and a commitment to review "mechanisms related to protecting the lives of journalists."

Phuong Thao

(According to Theguardian)