Declaration of Hermosillo : IAPA

1. We call upon the Mexican authorities, both federal and state, to solve crimes committed against journalists in Mexico . Impunity is the major incentive for these attacks to be repeated. This call is issued, with the greatest firmness, to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government that they may join together to provide increased guarantees in favor of freedom of expression. In this context, what is essential is to elevate crimes against journalists to federal jurisdiction and establish that there be no statute of limitation in such cases, they being considered to be extremely damaging to basic human rights, not only of the journalist concerned but of the community that he or she serves.

2. We intend to hold regional seminars for the training of reporters and editors in news coverage in situations of high risk and to advocate among the different sectors of our communities the need to defend and safeguard freedoms and human rights.

3. We have decided to set up a special team of investigative reporters to look into what the murdered journalists had been reporting on. We undertake to see that the result of the work by the special team will be published in all those newspapers taking part in this effort.

4. We will conduct in our pages public awareness campaigns about impunity surrounding crimes against journalists.

5. We will follow up this Meeting of Publishers in the Northern Border Region with similar ones in central and southern Mexico, to provide encouragement to the Mexican press with similar aims. We will take additional steps to get the largest number of newspapers throughout the country involved. Furthermore, we will call upon the electronic media (radio, television and Internet) to give their support to this initiative.