Another sad news for the press and freedom of expression. In Mexico, photojournalist Ismael Villagómez Tapia was assassinated Thursday, November 16 early in the morning in Ciudad Juarez in the state of Chihuahua. His body was found in his vehicle. His phone was not found at the crime scene. He worked as a photographer for El Herlado de Juarez, a title from the regional press. Mexico is one of the countries where the situation of journalists is the most precarious. According to Reporters Without Borders, the country is one of the most violent for the press in the world and has the sad record of journalists murdered since 2017. This year, 7 journalists and media workers have already been killed.
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With our correspondent in Mexico, Gwendolina Duval
Ismael Villagómez Tapia was found shot in the face in his car north of the border city of Ciudad Juarez. Nicknamed the “Tiger”, the photojournalist had a long career in the press. In addition to his first job, Villagómez also worked as a driver for an online VTC platform.
A double hat which should not influence the investigation, according to the statements of prosecutor Carlos Manuel Salas at a press conference in front of the local media: “ We are at the beginning of the investigation. We are not ruling out anything. No clues. A journalist is a 24-hour journalist and can carry out his journalistic work at any time of the day or night. Regardless of whether he performs another function “.
In Mexico, the condition of journalists is more than precarious, particularly that of journalists who work in dangerous areas, as Ismael Villagómez did on the northern border.
Since 2000, according to the NGO defending freedom of expression Article 19, no less than 162 journalists have been murdered for the simple fact of exercising their profession. Crimes which, in Mexico, still go unpunished.
Read alsoMexico: a journalist murdered, the second in a week
