JOURNALIST AT RISK

Mexican journalist, Alberto Amaro, has denounced several serious attacks in the last five years due to his work. In January 2024, he was chased by an unknown person in a vehicle who attempted to crash into Alberto’s vehicle. Despite this, officials from Mexico’s Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists have questioned his claims and even attempted to withdraw Amaro’s protective measures. We urge the Ministry of the Interior to grant protective measures to Alberto that adequately respond to the level of risk he is facing. 

Urgent Action Deadline Extended to June 21, 2024

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: June 21, 2024

take action:

• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
• Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 17.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

contact information:

sample letter:

Dear Minister, or Dear Ambassador, 

I’m writing to express my deep concern about the security situation of journalist, Alberto Amaro Jordán, director of the Mexican media outlet, La Prensa de Tlaxcala. Due to his work, Alberto has been the victim of several very serious attacks. For example, an incident occurred on January 9, around 8:45 a.m., when an unknown person in a car with license plates from the State of Mexico overtook Alberto’s vehicle and attempted to collide with the journalist’s vehicle. Alberto Amaro is a beneficiary of the federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists and has two federal bodyguards. The guard who was driving managed to avoid hitting the other vehicle, but the aggressor pulled in front of them and tried to block their path. Alberto’s driver eventually managed to evade the other vehicle and escape.  

Despite these attacks and taking into consideration that Mexico is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, Alberto Amaro has reported numerous failures in some of the protective measures granted to him by the federal Protection Mechanism. As of the end of February, the Mechanism has not fully addressed his concerns about his protection scheme. 

I therefore urge you to immediately reassess Alberto Amaro’s security situation, in consultation with him, guarantee that his existing protective measures are not withdrawn, and grant any additional measures that are needed to guarantee his safety, given the level of risk he faces, as well as ensuring that authorities investigate any attacks against him.  

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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