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Hotel California manuscript trial Prosecutors change course and drop charges

“Hotel California” manuscript trial: Prosecutors change course and drop charges

New York prosecutors reversed course and dropped charges Wednesday against three defendants accused of hiding manuscripts of the famous Eagles song “Hotel California,” an about-face that ended the trial.

• Also read: “Hotel California” manuscripts at the center of a trial in New York

At the opening of the hearing on Wednesday morning, one of the prosecutors, Aaron Ginandes, announced that the late filing of 6,000 pages of correspondence between certain protagonists cast doubt on the validity of the case.

Judge Curtis Farber, who confirmed the dismissal of the charges, also sharply criticized the attitude of Eagles founder, singer and drummer Don Henley, a key witness in the trial.

“A review of these documents demonstrates and underscores that Mr. Henley and Mr. (Irving) Azoff,” the Eagles' manager, “exercised their right (to professional secrecy) to protect themselves from thorough and complete cross-examination,” said the judge.

“It is now clear that the two witnesses and their lawyers … used this right to obscure and conceal information that they believed was prejudicial to their position that the manuscripts had been stolen,” he said also “Obviously manipulated”.

The three defendants, including a former curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, Craig Inciardi, a rare book dealer, Glenn Horowitz, and a third person, Edward Kosinski, were accused of acquiring something and then attempted to resell the manuscripts at auction despite knowledge of their dubious origin.

The case dates back to the late 1970s, when an author commissioned by the Californian rock group to write his biography was entrusted with the handwritten notes, approximately one hundred pages, used to write the album “Hotel California” and its companions Documents used were song of the same name. The author had not returned them, which constituted theft in the eyes of Don Henley, but not in the defense.

According to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, the indictment said the pages were then sold in 2005 to Glenn Horowitz, a rare book dealer, who then passed them on to Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski.

“Hotel California” manuscript trial: Prosecutors change course and drop charges Read More »

Long Island body parts crime Two women and two men

Long Island body parts crime: Two women and two men are released without bail after being accused of hiding a body as the victims' identities remain unknown

Four suspects were released without bail Wednesday afternoon after being accused of hiding a human corpse and tampering with evidence

Steven Brown, 44, Jeffrey Mackey, 38, Amanda Wallace, 40, and Alexis Nieves, 33, were all arrested after arms and heads were found in Babylon Park on Tuesday.

The four were each charged with first-degree obstruction of prosecution, tampering with evidence by concealing or destroying it and concealing a human corpse.

It's unclear whether police believe any of the four were directly involved in the deaths of the victims – an unnamed 53-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman from Yonkers.

Alexis Nieves, 33, leaves court in Suffolk County, Long Island, on Wednesday

Alexis Nieves, 33, leaves court in Suffolk County, Long Island, on Wednesday

Jeffrey Mackey, 38, was one of two men charged.  The motive and his involvement in the gruesome murder remain unknown

Jeffrey Mackey, 38, was one of two men charged. The motive and his involvement in the gruesome murder remain unknown

Steven Brown, 44, leaves court in Suffolk County on Wednesday

Steven Brown, 44, leaves court in Suffolk County on Wednesday

1709774300 394 Long Island body parts crime Two women and two men

Amanda Wallace, 40, covers her face as she leaves court on Wednesday

Police sources told NBC New York that the brutal murders may be related to a love triangle, but no further details were revealed.

visited Brown, Mackey and Wallace's shared home in Amityville on Wednesday morning.

On a table in the unkempt property were half-eaten food, an empty Titos vodka bottle and an open carton of Minute Maid strawberry and pear juice.

There was a raid on Monday where the food had not yet been eaten, suggesting that residents had been caught by surprise.

The front door was also broken.

Nieves, who has no fixed address, is believed to have been homeless.

A neighbor who lives near the property searched said Wallace was a dog walker and the house had visitors throughout the night.

Three of the four suspects left court together on Wednesday

Three of the four suspects left court together on Wednesday

A half-finished meal, an empty vodka bottle and an open carton of juice lie on a table in an Amityville, New York, home that was searched Monday in connection with the discovery of two dismembered bodies

A half-finished meal, an empty vodka bottle and an open carton of juice lie on a table in an Amityville, New York, home that was searched Monday in connection with the discovery of two dismembered bodies

1709774305 967 Long Island body parts crime Two women and two men

The home pictured Wednesday was home to three of the four arrested – Steven Brown, Amanda Wallace and Jeffrey Mackey. The fourth person arrested – Amanda Nieves – was believed to be homeless

A broken door was visible at the Amityville property searched by police on Monday

A broken door was visible at the Amityville property searched by police on Monday

The neighbor, who gave his name as Josh, said: “The only reason I knew her name is because yesterday someone came and said, 'Do you know Amanda?' She walked my dogs for me.”

Josh said he had previously seen Amanda walking her child to school.

Asked about any worrying activity at the property before the raid, Josh said: “It's hard to say.”

“The only thing I've noticed, since I live just a few doors down, is that it's busy all night long. The whole time. Just people who drove up and stayed there briefly.

Josh added: “I have trouble sleeping in the mornings, so I know there's a car outside the house at 4am.”

“It's terrible. You know that things are going on in the world, but you don't think that things are going on in your own street.

“It’s all shocking, it’s terrible.”

“I don’t think I’m naive, but who would have expected something so terrible.”

Long Island body parts crime: Two women and two men are released without bail after being accused of hiding a body as the victims' identities remain unknown Read More »

Budget 2024 Jeremy Hunt cuts National Insurance again as election

Budget 2024: Jeremy Hunt cuts National Insurance again as election looms

  • By Paul Seddon and Becky Morton
  • Political reporters

March 6, 2024

Updated 2 hours ago

video caption,

Hunt: Tax revenue will be higher because the economy will grow

Jeremy Hunt has announced cuts to taxes paid by workers from April in a bid to galvanize the Conservatives ahead of this year's election.

In the last spring Budget before the election, the Chancellor cut National Insurance by a further 2p in the pound, matching an earlier cut in January.

He said it would make the tax system fairer and help revitalize the UK economy.

But Labor described the announcement as a “sham” and many people would still have been left worse off.

Chairman Sir Keir Starmer said he supported the cut but it would not offset the freeze on tax thresholds, which would result in some people paying more income tax over time.

He added that taxes were at their highest level in 70 years and people had suffered an “unprecedented collapse” in their living standards in recent years.

Mr Hunt has been under pressure to cut personal taxes as the Tories trail Labor significantly in opinion polls ahead of the next general election, expected to take place later this year.

The January National Insurance cut, announced in last year's Autumn Statement, failed to deliver the poll boost Tory MPs were hoping for.

This had fueled pre-Budget speculation that the Chancellor would opt for a cut in income tax, which was likely to have a greater political impact among voters.

Nevertheless, he announced a widespread 2p cut to National Insurance (NI), reducing the rate for employees from 10% to 8% and for the self-employed from 8% to 6%.

It also expanded eligibility for child benefit to around 170,000 families, with those earning up to £60,000 receiving the full benefit and raising the threshold for full receipt to £80,000.

Mr Hunt said moving to NI would be worth £450 a year to an employee earning an average salary of £35,000.

In an interview with BBC political editor Chris Mason, he added that his long-term goal was to abolish social security completely, but that this would only happen if it was “affordable”.

The party had earmarked additional income from the policies to fund new breakfast clubs and additional hospital appointments.

Labor has stressed that freezing thresholds for starting to pay income tax until 2028 means the tax burden will continue to rise for many, and also flagged “stealth” increases in council tax.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Sir Keir said the chancellor was trying to “give with one hand and take even more with the other”.

He added: “The whole country can see exactly what is happening here. They know a Tory fraudster when they see one.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called the budget a “last-ditch attempt by the Conservative Party to stay in power,” adding that it “smacks of desperation.”

“I have never seen a government deliver weaker public services, higher taxes and no growth at the same time,” he added.

Former ministers Suella Braverman and Sir David Davis both expressed regret that the Chancellor had not decided to cut income tax.

Ms Braverman, who was sacked by the Prime Minister last year, also said frozen income tax thresholds had resulted in “millions of low- and middle-income workers being forced to pay higher taxes” while “unprecedented levels of low-wage and low-skilled employment.” “Migration” prevailed and damaged the economy.

“The government could have solved both problems today, but didn’t,” she said.

Tax threshold changes

The Institute for Fiscal Studies, a think tank, says the combined effect of both NI cuts and the threshold freeze between 2021 and this April means those earning between £26,000 and £60,000 will be better off.

However, people earning less than £25,000 will be worse off, while those earning between £60,000 and £120,000 will see little difference.

As well as changes to child benefit limits, the Chancellor said he would consult on moving to a system that takes household income rather than individual income into account by April 2026.

The current system has been criticized as unfair because the threshold is based on the highest-earning parent rather than a family's total salary.

This means a family where two parents earn £50,000 each can receive the full amount, while a single person earning £60,000 would receive nothing.

'Go around the corner'

The budget comes against a backdrop of sluggish economic growth as the country fell into recession late last year.

The government's independent forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, also expects inflation – with interest rates rising – to fall to the 2% target before the end of June.

This suggests the government may wait until the autumn to call an election, which must take place by the end of January 2025, rather than calling an election in May.

By then the economic situation should have improved and another opportunity for tax cuts could arise.

Other measures announced in the budget:

  • The Household Support Fund, which helps people facing cost of living pressures and was due to expire in four weeks, will remain in place for another six months
  • An alcohol tax freeze that was due to end in August will be extended until February 2025
  • A new tax on e-cigarettes will be introduced from October 2026
  • At the same time, tobacco tax will increase by £2.00 per 100 cigarettes to ensure vaping remains cheaper
  • Fuel duty will be frozen again, with the 5p cut in fuel duty on petrol and diesel due to end later this month retained for another year
  • Tax relief for holiday property owners will be abolished.

The move to extend the windfall tax to energy companies has sparked a backlash from some Tories. Energy Secretary Andrew Bowie and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross both described it as “deeply disappointing”.

SNP business spokesman Drew Henry also criticized the move, adding it meant both the government and Labor were “intent on pulling the rug out from under the industry”.

He added that a “just oil and gas transition” would not be possible “if we phase out the sector overnight.”

Turning to public services, the Chancellor said he would keep planned increases in daily spending at 1% above inflation each year until 2029.

However, as some ministries such as health and schools have protected budgets, this means that others such as justice and local government could see significant budget cuts.

Mr Hunt said the public sector also needed to improve its efficiency to deliver better value to taxpayers.

He announced investment in new technology to free up time for doctors, nurses and police, including £3.4 billion to modernize NHS IT systems.

Budget 2024: Jeremy Hunt cuts National Insurance again as election looms Read More »

Trump is ready to debate Biden anywhere anytime

Trump is ready to debate Biden “anywhere, anytime.”

From Le Figaro with AFP

Published yesterday at 10:52 p.m., updated yesterday at 11:03 p.m.

Former US President Donald Trump. Marco Bello / Portal

Barring any major surprises, the two men will face each other in November's presidential election, a rematch of the 2020 election.

Donald Trump, Republican candidate for the US election, said on Wednesday he is ready to debate his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, “anywhere, anytime.” “It is important for the well-being of our country that Joe Biden and I discuss critical issues for the United States and the American people,” the former president said on his network Truth Social. “That’s why I demand that debates take place anywhere and at any time,” he assured.

After their overwhelming victories in their parties' primaries, barring any major surprises, the two men will face each other in the presidential election in November – a rematch to the 2020 election. But according to the polls, this duel is between a 77-year-old former president and the 81-year-old incumbent hardly inspires voters. To win in an extremely polarized country, Joe Biden and Donald Trump must both mobilize their base and attract as many independent voters as possible in a handful of undecided states. President Biden is struggling in the polls and will try to convince millions of Americans of his vision for the country during a key policy speech to Congress on Thursday. A speech that Donald Trump promised to “correct” live.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off in a series of debates in the fall of 2020. The Democrat, former vice president of Barack Obama, won the presidential election. But Donald Trump never conceded defeat and accused Democrats, without evidence, of “stealing” the election.

Trump is ready to debate Biden “anywhere, anytime.” Read More »

If Trump wants it he has to earn it

“If Trump wants it, he has to earn it”

FROM OUR REPORTER
PALM BEACH (FLORIDA) – “It's time to pause my campaign.” After a year of fighting for the Republican nomination for the White House, Nikki Haley is retreating with a short speech in her city of Charleston.

But for now, she's not supporting Trump, the president who appointed her UN ambassador and whose bitter rival she has become: She says the votes she won could make the difference in November – and she's not talking just above that, two victories in Vermont and Washington DC (historic for a Republican candidate for the White House), but above all the significant percentages she achieved in primaries where she lost (like Michigan, but she still snagged 300,000 votes in a key state). It's an anti-Trump vote that “is now up to him to deserve.” And I hope he does.

Best wishes to Trump (but no support)

Haley is putting herself in a position of power: She will not run as an independent, leaving the door open for future support for Trump. He realizes that his rival will soon be the candidate for the nomination. «I congratulate him and wish him all the best. Just as I would wish for anyone who could become our president.” On the other hand, Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Republican minority in the Senate, who has never hidden his contempt for the attack on Congress on January 6th and opposing ideas, has also given him credit who made foreign policy, gave his approval yesterday. The words with which he withdrew from the Republican leadership in the Senate are also telling: “I have many shortcomings, but one of them is a lack of understanding of politics.”

Bird brain

The first question is what Trump will do. Before Haley spoke, the former president wrote on the social network Truth that he had “torn her to pieces” in the primaries and attributed her rival's successes to the fact that in some states “we don't know why” there are open primaries which the Democrats are represented can also vote and receive financial support from “left-wing radical donors”. But in another message, his campaign is calling on voters to “unite against Joe Biden.”

After a year of bloody campaigning between the two, Nikki Haley, who Trump nicknamed “Bird Brain,” is seen by many of the former president's fans not as a “real conservative” but as an agent of Democrats and the military industry who want the wars to continue , although you explain that you want to avoid them by defending your allies and opposing Putin. We asked Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, an advocate of Trumpism, if she would consider adding Haley to a possible Trump administration: “I see no reason for that and would fight to do so both publicly and privately avoid,” she told Corriere on the sidelines of Tuesday's party at Mar-a-Lago. If, after the primaries, many campaigns are changing their message to “moderate” them in search of the crucial suburban electorate for the general election, the Trump team is showing no signs of doing so at the moment.

Biden holds out his hand

So the second question is: Who will Haley voters choose? We met them at his rallies in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina: Democrats and independents, but also Republicans who have voted for Trump in the past. According to a Quinnipiac poll, half of them would vote for Trump, but 37% would vote for Biden. Who wastes no time and extends his hand: “We won’t agree on everything, but we will agree on democracy, mutual respect, NATO and Putin.”

“If Trump wants it, he has to earn it” Read More »

From the White House, Kirby is calling on Congress to approve funds for Ukraine

The White House is looking for options given the obstacle House Republicans are building to approving a major aid package for Ukraine, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told VOA.

THE WHITE HOUSE –

President Joe Biden's administration is considering options to help Ukraine as Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to block a $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate that includes $61 billion in support To Kyiv in the fight against Russia.

In an interview on Wednesday with the Voice of AmericaNational Security Council spokesman John Kirby said President Joe Biden wanted to use Thursday's State of the Union address to highlight the importance of continued support for Kyiv and highlight his administration's success in “restoring American leadership.”

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

VOA: How will the president use this opportunity to convince lawmakers and House Speaker Mike Johnson of the urgent need for military support for Ukraine?

John Kirby: I don't want to preempt the President's speech. Naturally, he looks forward to the opportunity to speak before the American people, before Congress and, frankly, before the world, about all the incredible things he has accomplished in these three and a half years as President of the United States. From the economy to education to healthcare to employment, but also on the world stage and truly restoring American leadership on a global stage.

That's what American leadership gives you. It gives him the power to unite, it gives him tremendous capacity, and it certainly allows him to influence and influence the decision-making and actions of other leaders around the world, particularly adversaries, to better align with our national security in the Interests are in harmony. Support for Ukraine is undoubtedly the first and most important thing.

It's about helping Ukrainian soldiers succeed in these battles Russian aggression, but it is also an advantage for our national security because the panorama on the European continent has changed. And if we just walk away and let (Russian President Vladimir) Putin keep Ukraine, which he still wants, then he will be knocking on the doors of NATO.

Also read: Russia warns of 'inevitability of direct conflict' if NATO sends troops to fight in Ukraine

VOA: Ukraine is rationing ammunition and losing territory, partly due to a lack of American support. Do you see a way forward with the additional package or should the Ukrainians prepare for the reality in which there will be no American help?

Kirby: We will continue to work with Congress to see if we can pass this amendment. It is so important. We are also working with allies and partners on the contributions they could make. It's not that they aren't already doing it, it's that they're doing it, but we're looking at what more could be done.

And of course, within our own system, within our own government and across the administration, we are looking at whether there is anything else we can do to support Ukraine. But we have nothing. None of these efforts can replace the volume and scope that the supplement would offer us.

VOA: But could there be a Plan B?

Kirby: We never stopped thinking about what other opportunities might be available to us. But whatever they are, they won't be as good as additional financial support. There is no way to replace that. As I have said many times, there is no magic source that can do what the supplement can do. But are we analyzing options? Yes definitely. Given the situation on the ground, particularly in the East, we must do it.

What does a bomb shelter look like in Ukraine?

VOA: But do you still think the amendment can be approved?

Kirby: It's hard to say with certainty. This will really depend on President Johnson. We know, and Johnson knows, that if he speaks up it will pass. There is a lot of bipartisan support for this; in both parties. There is no doubt about that. The real question is: Will he put it to a vote before the full House? and only he can answer this question.

VOA: Six countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Germany, Denmark and France, recently signed bilateral security agreements with Kyiv aimed at providing security guarantees to Ukraine before it joins NATO. Should we expect such an agreement between the United States and Ukraine soon?

Kirby: We've been working with the Ukrainians for a long time, obviously making sure they have what they need in this war and talking to them about what they're going to need when the war is over, because when and how the war ends , we decide We will still have a long border with Russia that we must protect.

So, yes, the United States is talking to our Ukrainian counterparts about what more we can do in the long term to ensure that they can defend their own national security interests and those of the Ukrainian people. I have nothing to announce or discuss at the moment, but these are discussions we are having with the Ukrainians.

Also read: Russian drones attack Ukraine as European leaders meet to show support for Kiev

VOA: More on the State of the Union: How will the president handle the worsening situation in Gaza and America's strategic competition with China?

Kirby: Again, I don't want to prejudge the President's speech, but I do want to point out the things he said earlier. On Israel: How important it is to ensure that Israel can defend itself against the still real threat of Hamas, to ensure that more humanitarian aid comes (to Gaza), and that we free the hostages. Try to implement this new hostage-taking agreement so that we can reach a temporary six-week ceasefire to ease the suffering on the ground, and try again to find ways to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“We won’t agree with China on everything, but the president firmly believes this is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world.”

And on China, as you know, the President recently concluded a meeting with President Xi (Jinping) in San Francisco. Good constructive dialogue. We won't agree with China on everything, but the President firmly believes that this is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world, and it's up to the two of us as two great powers (and both of us as two great leaders). ), to manage this relationship responsibly. .

VOA: The president warned of a “dangerous” situation if a ceasefire is not reached before Ramadan. What did he mean by that? Does it warn of more bloodshed and the possible impact of its regional spread?

Kirby: It refers to the fact that Ramadan is obviously the holiest time of the year for Muslims and also a sensitive time, particularly in the Middle East, where measures take on even greater significance and can have enormous impact. That is why we all want this temporary ceasefire to be established as quickly as possible.

Of course we would have preferred to implement it already. That's not the case, we're still working on it. But we are clear that as we approach Ramadan, any actions taken will be in the context of this holiest time for Muslims around the world.

Also read The Esplanade of Mosques, a powder keg always ready to explode

VOA: Both Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska and the widow of the late Russian opposition leader Yulia Navalnaya declined invitations to attend Biden's State of the Union address. What message did the administration want to convey by inviting both of them?

Kirby: We respect your wish not to participate, but of course Ukraine is an important partner here. And they have been fighting bravely for just over two years. And certainly this was an opportunity to recognize the United States' commitment to Ukraine and to the struggle, courage and resistance of the Ukrainian people.

Once again we all regret it the death of Alexei Navalny and we all recognize his courage, his bravery and of course we all continue to hold the Kremlin responsible for what happened to him. The President had the opportunity to meet with his wife and sister to express his condolences both personally and on behalf of the entire American people.

Connect with the voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, Whatsapp and to Newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us Facebook, X And Instagram.

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Mexico Murders of journalists Amnesty International Austria

Mexico: Murders of journalists | Amnesty International Austria

Mexico is the most dangerous country in the Western Hemisphere for journalists, as CPJ has extensively documented since 1992. According to CPJ research, at least 153 journalists and other media workers have been killed since the beginning of this century, and It was discovered that at least 64 of these deaths were directly linked to the work of the dead.

Impunity is the norm for crimes against members of the press. According to CPJ's annual Impunity Index, Mexico consistently ranks among the top 10 countries in terms of unsolved murders of journalists. CPJ also concluded that although Mexico is the country with the largest number of “missing” journalists, none of these cases in Mexico have ever resulted in a conviction.

In addition to murders and disappearances, journalists in Mexico face constant threats, harassment and physical and psychological abuse from employees and members of organized crime gangs. Most of the threats and attacks are related to the country's ongoing battle against violent criminal groups, militarization as part of the so-called “war on drugs,” and the failure of law enforcement to protect journalists and the public amid allegations of corruption. . The protection institution itself found that almost half of the attacks on journalists it recorded in Mexico were perpetrated by authorities.

Inadequate safeguards

The Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists was created by the Mexican government in 2012, after years of pressure from journalists and civil society organizations to address the constant threats and attacks against human rights defenders and media workers.

Over the past 18 months, Amnesty International and CPJ have investigated the mechanism. To do so, they analyzed a wide range of publicly available information about the institution, as well as documents obtained through requests under the Freedom of Information Law to the Mexican Institute for Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data. Amnesty International and CPJ also carried out on-site research in the states of Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Tlaxcala and distributed a questionnaire to 28 journalists registered with the Protection Mechanism.

The mechanism is, in fact, responsible for assessing the risks faced by journalists, providing them with protective measures and coordinating with state and national authorities to mitigate risks. In reality, however, the mechanism only offers some journalists much-needed protection, while many others are not adequately protected.

In November 2023, 651 journalists were registered with the mechanism, including 469 men and 182 women. However, the number of protection requests rejected by the mechanism has risen sharply in recent years, from just one in 2020 to 14 in 2021, 49 in 2022 and a further 49 in the first eleven months of 2023.

Almost all journalists Amnesty International and CPJ contacted said they continued to face security threats after joining the mechanism; Many described the mechanism's response as slow, bureaucratic and lacking empathy. Many journalists also had the impression that Mechanism officials wanted to take as little risk as possible on their part and also did not take their gender into account.

Symptomatic cases

Amnesty International and CPJ described three symptomatic cases of reporters included in the mechanism: Gustavo Sánchez Cabrera, Rubén Pat Cauich and Alberto Amaro Jordán. Gustavo Sánchez Cabrera and Rubén Pat Cauich were killed while under the protection of the mechanism, and their stories are a painful reminder of the consequences of inadequate protection by government authority. The case of Alberto Amaro Jordán, who asked the Mechanism not to lift its protection measures after they were no longer considered necessary, reveals the journalists' struggle with bureaucracy, the Mechanism's failure to adequately assess risks, and that the shocking shock from authorities' lack of interest in taking threats against reporters seriously.

“When you call the mechanism, sometimes it feels like they are ignoring you. They think they are lying”, says Alberto Amaro Jordán. “I pointed out that the risk assessment has a series of errors. They ignored me and decided to remove my bodyguards.”

“Our investigation shows that the murders of journalists like Gustavo Sánchez Cabrera and Rubén Pat Cauich could have been prevented if authorities had taken faster and more decisive measures to protect them. “Mexican authorities must do everything in their power to protect the press and guarantee the rights to life and freedom of expression of journalists,” said Edit Olivares Ferreto, deputy executive director of Amnesty International in Mexico.

recommendations

The investigation paints an alarming picture of a deeply flawed institution that requires fundamental reform to meet the needs of journalists in one of the countries in the world where the press suffers the highest rates of violence. Of particular concern are the apparent lack of basic knowledge about human rights issues among Authority staff, significant failures of the mechanism to adequately assess the risks faced by journalists or to take gender issues into account, and poor communication with people protected. The investigation also shows that there is a growing tendency on the part of the mechanism to deny, reduce or remove protection measures for journalists, despite the fact that they continue to face clear and present risks.
Amnesty International and CPJ call on the Mexican authorities to ensure adequate funding for the mechanism and to adequately train staff, review their risk assessment processes and incorporate a gender perspective into their protocols to better respond to specific needs of women journalists.

Amnesty and CPJ also call for much closer cooperation between the Mechanism and Mexican investigative authorities at state and national levels to address impunity and the causes of threats and attacks against journalists.

The Mexican government must take immediate action to correct the mechanism's problems. This is particularly urgent as Mexico heads into a new electoral cycle that could have consequences for how the country deals with serious violations of human rights and fundamental rights such as press freedom.

This investigation was carried out with the participation of independent journalists Primavera Téllez Girón, Luis Miguel Carriedo, Juan Pablo Villalobos Díaz and Cecilia Suárez.

Cover photo: Vigil for journalists killed in Mexico.

Freedom of expression and freedom of the press

More about this

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The war has returned to European soil says Emmanuel Macron

“The war has returned to European soil, says Emmanuel Macron

During a press conference in Prague this Tuesday, March 5, Emmanuel Macron admitted that he had called for a “strategic leap” by raising the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine, warning against the “spirit of defeat”, “he is lurking”. .”

“Is it our war or not our war? Can we turn away and consider that things can continue as they are? I don't think so, and that's why it was a strategic move that I made and that I fully accept. We must be clear about the reality of the situation in Europe.”

“The war is returning to European soil,” declared the French head of state, emphasizing that the “clarity” of his words was “what Europe needed.”

In addition to Czech President Petr Pavel, Emmanuel Macron also considered the Prague initiative to buy ammunition outside the European Union to support Ukraine “extremely useful.”

Emmanuel Macron explained that in the face of threats it is necessary to live up to history and “not to be a coward”:

“We are certainly approaching a time in our Europe when it will be appropriate not to be cowardly. We never want to see the tragedies that come, we never want to see what happens, and I believe that both of our countries are aware of what is happening in Europe, the fact that the war has returned to our soil, that the Powers that have become unstoppable are increasing the threat every day and attacking us even more. We must do justice to history and the courage it brings,” said the French president.

Macron also named the Russian dictator in his speech:

“Who started the war in Ukraine? Wladimir Putin. Whoever threatens us with nuclear weapons, no matter what we say? President Putin. […] As we explain every day where our borders are to someone who does not know them and who started this war, I can already tell that the spirit of defeat lurks. Not between us.”

“The war has returned to European soil, says Emmanuel Macron Read More »