The State Human Rights Commission announced the launching of an investigation to determine possible violations against journalists from public officials.
In a press release, Baja California Ombudswoman Melba Olvera said the investigation was opened after journalists Adela Navarro and Dora Cortés reported on their news outlets that state public employees were preparing a defamation campaign against the editors.
Navarro is co-director of Tijuana’s weekly newspaper Zeta and Cortés leads the Border News Agency or AFN in Spanish. Both reportedly received off-the-record information regarding the campaign through several sources.
The campaign was in response to several articles related to the allegations against a secretary about tax fraud and the controversial debt with the Autonomous University of Baja California.
Navarro said Friday the campaign is allegedly going to disclose personal issues.
State top officials presumably asked media outlets in which the administration runs advertising to ignore the topics.
The commission did not disclose the names of the journalists involved on the alleged campaign.
The commission said journalists, editors and media owners must not be manipulated politically or financially.
“We got in touch with the journalists under threat of violation of their rights to perform freely in their professions,” she said. “The intention is to make sure journalists in the state are cognizant of the commissions support. In case the allegations of threats against their fundamental rights are proven, we will raise our voices.”
As of August, the commission has filed six cases of human rights violations against journalists.
