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Journalist on daily Prensa Libre shot dead at his home
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Datum nieuwsfeit: 13-05-2008 |
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Bron: Reporters Without Borders |
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Vacatures media / communicatie:
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Reporters Without Borders
Guatemala13 May 2008
Journalist on daily Prensa Libre shot dead at his home
Reporters Without Borders today voiced its dismay at the murder of
Jorge Mérida Pérez, of national daily Prensa Libre, who was shot dead
at his home in Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango department in the west of
the country on 10 May.
The 40-year-old, whose family said he had recently been threatened,
was the second journalist to be murdered in Guatemala since the start
of the year.
Mérida Pérez was sitting at his computer working on an article, when
an unidentified assailant on a motorbike parked outside his home and
entered the house, the front door of which had been left open. He
fired four shots at the journalist, who was hit in the face and died
instantly. His son, Jorge Luis, aged 14, who was in the next room, was
unhurt.
Police were said by the Guatemala press to be pursuing two leads
unconnected with the journalist's work: one of a crime of passion and
the second of possible revenge by a local armed group. His family said
that the journalist had recently received threats, but it was not
known who was behind them.
Jorge Mérida Pérez, who formerly worked for the fire brigade and for
the Red Cross in Coatepeque, had joined Prensa Libre as a reporter
2007.
"Our first thoughts are to express our condolences to the family and
colleagues of Jorge Mérida Pérez", Reporters Without Borders said.
"Even if it is the case that there is nothing to immediately suggest a
direct link between the victim's professional activities and the
murder, the authorities should pay particular attention to recent
threats against him, reported by the family", the worldwide press
freedom organisation said.
"We urge the police to deploy all possible means to establish the
identity of the killer and the possible instigators of the murder," it
added.
Rubén Bozarreyes Luna, presenter on Radio Gualán, was killed in a hail
of bullets at commercial premises in Gualán, Zacapa department,
eastern Guatemala on 12 April 2008 by a gunman who was drunk. The
motive for the killing has not been established but it appeared likely
it was linked to his work.
Elsewhere, the death of Hugo Arce, of the monthly ¿Y Qué ?, found shot
through the heart in a Guatemala hotel room on 23 January 2008,
continues to raise questions. His family contested the official
verdict of suicide.
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Dit is een bericht uit het Nieuwsbank persberichtenarchief. Gegevens in
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Eventueel in dit bericht vermelde (e-mail) adressen en telefoonnummers
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