Let justice be done

Dear Mr. Executive Secretary, The Inter American Press Association is determined to put an end to impunity surrounding crimes against journalists and so, in conjunction with the international community, it would call your attention to the details delivered by the IAPA to the Honorable Inter-American Commission on Human Rights concerning the case of journalist Francisco Ortiz Franco, murdered in Tijuana, Mexico, on June 22, 2004. The Mexican government has proved to be ineffective in solving this still unpunished crime. Justice has failed to be done due to numerous irregularities in the legal proceedings. Given this, newspaper readers throughout the Americas who have seen our corresponding announcement published in the press of the Western Hemisphere denouncing the lack of punishment and calling upon the IACHR have added their signatures to this note in the hope that a resolution of the Honorable Commission which you head may influence the Mexican authorities to see that justice is done. The IAPA is also conducting a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the general pubic of the Americas of the importance of freedom of expression, the work of the press and, especially, the praiseworthy role of the IACHR with these same objectives. Regards,