Mexico – A news photographer and a reporter lost their lives in Tijuana, the border city of Mexico last week.
According to the news, a news photographer was killed in Tijuana on Monday, whereas, on the same day a news reporter lost his life in Veracruz.
News photographer Margarito Martínez was a renowned photographer and was well versed in the community. He was also known for covering the crime scenes in the violence-ridden city of Tijuana. Martinez was working with a local news establishment known as Cadena Noticias along with covering the news and crimes of various other international and national media outlets.
Antonio Maya, a reporter at Cadena Noticias stated that Margarito Martínez was attacked just outside his place.
“He was coming out of his house when they opened fire on him,” Maya said.
The Mexican news reporter who lost his life has been identified as José Luis Gamboa. He was a well-known journalist who has been under the radar after profusely criticizing the local bodies. Jose Luis Gamboa was also the director of a news website – Inforegio.
The press group Reporters Without Borders wrote, “Gamboa had denounced and strongly criticized the relations between local authorities and organized crime.”
Gamboa and Martinez became the first journalists to lose their lives in the line of duty this year. 48 reporters and journalists have lost their lives in Mexico since December of 2018.
Mexico is termed as one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists and reporters apart from the active war zones.
Alejandro Encinas, the assistant interior secretary in charge of the human rights of Mexico stated that in cases where the culprits are identified in crimes against journalists and reports, most of them are local officials. It is alarming to know that almost 90% of the crimes conducted against journalists and activists in Mexico go unpunished making the journalists an easy target. Alejandro stated that new laws are required to protect the lives of reporters and activists
