By KUNA,
GENEVA : Mexico said on Tuesday that the Journalists and Civil Human Rights Defenders Protection Program, launched in May 1997, has adopted protective measures for journalists and reporters.
Mexican Minister of Interior Gomez Mont said that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has also called for protective measures to safeguard the life and personal safety of journalists and reporters, and these have been adopted.
He added that at the request of various groups, Congress is currently examining a variety of initiatives to define crimes against journalists as federal offenses.
Mont made those remarks when presenting his country’s national report on the implementation of human rights to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Human Rights Council.
Because Mexico is one of the most dangerous places for media work, petitions and debates, for the past 20 years, have resulted in a legislative panel that has amendment to the federal penal code that elevating an attack on a journalist to a federal crime. Another proposal is to establish a special justice department office to investigate attacks and killings that threaten freedom of expression. Many countries posed questions on the work situation of journalists. The UPR review system acts as follows: the concerned country presents its national report, then the 47 members of the Human Rights Council each comments, recommends or poses a question, this would be followed in another session with the adoption of the report including the recommendations. (end) hn.mt KUNA 101458 Feb 09NNNN