Guerrero: Article 19 urges to investigate political motivations in the case of the murder of the journalist, Gabriel Soriano

In a statement on October 28, the organization for freedom of expression Article 19 urged to investigate possible political motivations in the case of the murder of journalist Gabriel Soriano Kuri. This fact occurred four days earlier in an armed attack in Acapulco, after Soriano ended to give technical support to the journalistic coverage of Radio & Television Guerrero (RTG) to a report of Governor Hector Astudillo Flores.

The Attorney General’s Office has been disseminating a version of the facts according to which the murder was allegedly due to a “road incident”. However, Article 19 referred that one day after the murder of Soriano, a dismembered body was found in the La Poza neighborhood, located in the Diamond Zone of Acapulco with a message that, according to a photo circulating in the media, says the following: “Here you have to respect me fucking government; if you continue to have deals with the Cida (Independent Cartel of Acapulco) that will be the end of you all, journalists and government, you are going to suck my cock. Here (…) the “amarillos” (the Yellows) prevail“.

Article 19 recalled that on more than one occasion it has expressed that “Guerrero exemplifies the institutional weakness and the infiltration capacity of organized crime in public entities.” It demanded to clarify whether the assassination of Gabriel was an attack directed and perpetrated by alleged members of organized crime with political motivations. “If so, this homicide would be an unprecedented event because it would confirm that drug trafficking is using the press as cannon fodder to politically press public authorities to achieve their ends. This would signal the beginning of a new form of organized crime violence against journalism”, said.

It also urged the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists to take measures to guarantee the life and personal integrity of the family of Gabriel Soriano as well as of his fellow RTG colleagues.

For more information (in Spanish) :

No hay despegue de violencia, sino asesinatos que causan impacto: gobernador (Acapulco News, 30 de octubre de 2018)

Exige la Felap investigar a fondo el asesinato de Gabriel Soriano (La Jornada de Guerrero, 29 de octubre de 2018)

Llaman a a investigar motivaciones políticas detrás de asesinato del periodista en Guerrero (Centro Pro DH, 30 de octubre de 2018)

El homicidio de Gabriel Soriano en Acapulco: ¿una nueva forma de violencia del narcotráfico contra el periodismo? (Artículo 19, 28 de octubre de 2018)

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