22 October 2008

Alert

Two members of civil society organisation arrested in connection with journalist Bradley Will's assassination


Incident details

Bradley Will

journalist(s)

killed

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(CEPET/IFEX) - Juan Manuel Martínez Moreno, a member of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca, APPO), has been brought before a judge on accusations that he shot and killed journalist Bradley Will.

In addition, another APPO member, Octavio Pérez Pérez, was detained and charged with being an accomplice in the murder and arrest warrants are pending for nine other APPO members. The arrest warrants were requested by the national Attorney General's Office (Procuraduría General de la República, PGR).

Will, who was working for the independent Indymedia news agency, was assassinated in Oaxaca state, southeast Mexcio, on 26 October 2006 while he was covering a conflict between civil society groups and the state's governor.

The Oaxaca state Attorney General's Office has claimed that APPO members were responsible for Will's death. However, the National Human Rights Commission (Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos de México, CNDH) recently published recommendations directed at the governor of Oaxaca, the Oaxaca state Congress and the national and state Attorney General's Offices after concluding that there were irregularities in the investigation into the journalist's assassination.

When consulted regarding the detention of the APPO members, the CNDH said that the arrests indicate that the PGR has ignored its observations. The commission announced that it would take action against the governor of Oaxaca, the Congress and the Attorney General's Offices for failing to respond to its recommendations.

Updates the Will case: http://www.ifex.org/es/content/view/full/97410



Source

Center for Journalism and Public Ethics
Calle del Puente No. 222, Col. Ejidos de Huipulco
Tlalpan, 14380 México, D.F.
México
cepet (@) cepet.org
Phone: +52 55 2455 5308
 

More on this case

Authorities must continue to investigate the Brad Will killing, says CPJ 23 February 2010 Suspect in American journalist's murder to remain in custody pending hearing 12 November 2009 Federal judge grants injunction to man accused of killing American journalist Brad Will 26 January 2009 National Human Rights Commission detects irregularities in investigation into assassination of journalist Bradley Will 3 October 2008 Attorney General's Office investigations indicate that members of civil society group assassinated journalist 29 September 2008 Journalist Brad Will's family conducting independent investigation into his killing, says official hypothesis "irrational" 4 March 2008 Federal officials drop parallel investigation of US journalist's murder despite evidence army-issued weapons were used 31 October 2007 Two officials suspected in shooting of U.S. journalist released 7 December 2006 Five journalists injured, two others roughed up, in clashes with federal police in Oaxaca; investigators of Brad Will's murder slipping up, says RSF 3 November 2006 Cameraman killed, photographer wounded in Oaxaca police shooting; four suspects identified 1 November 2006

Mexico

Journalist shot to death in Guerrero 16 March 2010 Two suspects arrested in journalist's murder, but motive remains questionable 12 March 2010 Eight journalists kidnapped in two weeks 12 March 2010


 
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