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Alert

Journalist missing in Coahuila state

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has voiced deep concern about the disappearance of Rafael Ortiz Martínez, a radio and newspaper journalist based in Monclova, in the northern state of Coahuila, who has not been seen since 8 July 2006.

"We urge the Coahuila state authorities to do everything possible to find Ortiz quickly and to alert the new [federal] prosecutor's office that specialises in attacks on the press," Reporters Without Borders said.

"The investigators should consider the possibility that Ortiz's disappearance is related to his work as a journalist," the organisation added, noting that two other journalists are missing in Mexico - Jesús Mejía Lechuga since 10 July 2003 and Alfredo Jiménez Mota since 2 April 2005.

Aged 32, Ortiz is a reporter for the Monclova edition of the daily newspaper "Zócalo". He also presents a one-hour news programme called "Radio Zócalo" every morning on radio station XHCCG 104.1 FM. "Zócalo" editor Sergio Cisneros issued a statement saying Ortiz had not been seen since he left the newspaper upon finishing his work at around 1:30 or 1:45 a.m. (local time) on 8 July. Cisneros said he was very surprised by Ortiz's disappearance and did not know why it had happened.

Ortiz had written two sensitive articles the week of his disappearance, one about prostitution in downtown Monclova and the other about the spread of a hepatitis C at a medical treatment and social reintegration centre.

Cisneros said the newspaper alerted the local authorities after noticing Ortiz's prolonged and inexplicable absence. On 10 July, Ortiz's father, Rafael Ortiz del Toro, reported his disappearance to the local state prosecutor's office.