Article 19organization defending the freedom of expressioncondemned that the control judge José Guadalupe Nucamendi Albores these “consolidated criminalization” towards the journalist Rafael Leon Segoviabecause although the charges were dismissed for terrorismwas linked to a process for concealment due to favoring and crimes against public security institutions, imposing house arrest for one year.
The association pointed out, in a statement, that the hearing took place with multiple inconsistencies, lack of arguments and irregularities on the part of the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) of Veracruzin an attempt to “attribute criminal responsibility” to the communicator.
He pointed out that, despite this, the defense of the journalist managed to show that no real relationship was proven with criminal structures and that the imputation of terrorism It was “completely arbitrary.”
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According to the NGO, it was evident that the FGE Veracruz criminalizes journalistic work, by incriminating Rafael Leon for the information that reaches it, through different sources, and on which it reports in a timely manner.
“For the authority, making information about an event known to society constitutes an indication of prior knowledge of the event.” criminal act. That is, under the argument that Rafael “arrived earlier” to cover the note, the Prosecutor’s Office is seeking criminalize your work”, he denounced.
Journalist Rafael León Segovia was linked to proceedings and was placed under house arrest for one year. Photo: Special
Article 19 considered that the accusations are based on an assumption “protected witness“, whose statements were collected with multiple irregularities and which are contradictory. Furthermore, the journalistic coverage of Rafael were argued by the Prosecutor’s Office as alleged evidence of illegal acts.
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“Under these parameters, a risky precedent is imposed for the journalism practice which can lead to the criminalization of more communicators. Article 19 expresses its rejection of the criminalization that Rafael faces by the Prosecutor’s Office, and for the lack of adherence to the law that the judge demonstrated in his determination,” he added.
He stressed that the precautionary measure of house arrest until the trial is concluded constitutes a disproportionate measure, since it prevents the journalist from going out to the streets and continuing with his coverage, “affecting not only the way of life and the rights of the journalist but also the right to information of society”.
He urged the Federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists to intervene in Rafael’s case, managing immediate protection measures for the journalist and his family, who are at risk in a context of repeated threats and persecution.
Journalist Rafael León Segovia was linked to proceedings and was placed under house arrest for one year. Photo: Special
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On the other hand, he once again demanded from the State Attorney General’s Office stop the criminalization of journalistic work and to Judicial Branch of the State of Veracruz to guarantee minimum conditions of independence and impartiality.
Reporters covering the hearing Rafael Leonalso known as “Goodbye”, showed the transfer of the journalist, who was handcuffed Although the terrorism charges against him.
The governor of Veracruz, Dew Nahle Garciarejected that León Segovia’s arrest has anything to do with freedom of expression. On December 26, he said that in the state there is freedom of the press “even to excesses” and that there has not been a single complaint or signal from his government.
“For the law we are all equal, so the Prosecutor’s Office together with the Attorney General’s Office“They are carrying out serious investigations in our state and whoever has some evidence where they have evidence is where they are going to act, I can’t say more because I don’t want to violate due process,” he said.
Nahle She assured that the application of the law is uniform for everyone and that, according to her, the media “gave flight” in coverage such as that of the contingency during the past floods in areas such as Rica’s picture.
They arrest “Lafita León”, a red note reporter from Veracruz; They accuse him of terrorism. Photo: Special.
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