Border Police Assault Mexican Journalist

(CEPET/IFEX) - Martín Rivera Ortiz, a photojournalist for the "El Diario de Nuevo Laredo" newspaper, reported that he was assaulted and his equipment was seized by military personnel while he was carrying out his work on the afternoon of 3 October 2009, in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas state, northern Mexico.

The newspaper's editor, Marco Villareal Marroquín, said that Rivera Ortiz was given an assignment to cover the return of Mexicans from the United States via the Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge, which connects Nuevo Laredo to the state of Texas.

The photojournalist arrived at the bridge and began to take photographs when a soldier approached and told him he was not allowed to do so. Rivera Ortiz identified himself, showed the soldier his press credentials and explained that he was carrying out his work. The soldier then, however, began to verbally assault him. A second soldier subsequently approached and joined in the actions against Rivera Ortiz. The two soldiers shoved the photojournalist to the ground and beat him, destroying his two-way radio.

They then seized his camera and removed the memory card from it.

Rivera Ortiz filed a complaint regarding the actions against him with the Tamaulipas branch of the Federal Attorney General's Office.

http://www.ifex.org/mexico/2009/10/07/rivera_ortiz_assaulted/

For more information:
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 5483 2020
http://www.cepet.org