Three journalists freed after being kidnapped in southern Mexico

Three journalists who were kidnapped in southern Mexico have been freed, said the attorney general’s office in the state of Guerrero on Saturday (Nov 25). The release comes days after the journalists and two others were kidnapped by armed men prompting search operations by security officials.

Journalistsreleased

Reporters Silvia Nayssa Arce, Alberto Sanchez and Marco Antonio Toledo were freed thanks to the “reinforcement of search operations and the deployment of state and federal authorities,” said the prosecutor’s office, in a statement.

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The three journalists were among the five people whose disappearance had been under investigation by the tourist town of Taxco, the state attorney general’s office.

According to the international free-speech group Article 19, Mexico is one of the deadliest countries across the world for journalists, with five killed just this year. The group said that Arce and Sanchez, who lead the digital platform RedSiete, were freed early on Saturday.

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While the attorney general’s office also confirmed the release of Toledo’s wife, Guadalupe Denova they said that the whereabouts of the couple’s son who was also kidnapped along with his parents remains unknown.

The Mexican army, police and national guard will “continue with search operations,” said the prosecutor’s office.

About the kidnapping

According to Article 19, the five people were taken on Wednesday (Nov 22) by armed men who entered the digital platform RedSiete’s central Taxco offices.

Meanwhile, Toledo, director of the weekly El Espectador de Taxco, along with his wife and son was kidnapped by five armed men who entered their home last Sunday (Nov 19), said Article 19.

Earlier this month, a photographer for Heraldo de Juarez was found fatally shot in the driver’s seat of a car marking the fifth killing of a journalist in the country so far in 2023.

Ismael Villagómez was found dead in the notoriously violent Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez in the car which he had registered to use for work for a ride-hailing app InDrive.

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His death drew condemnation from the United Nations which also called for a thorough investigation of the case.

“I condemn the killing of Ismael Villagómez Tapia. In addition to such tragic loss of life, attacks like these have a chilling effect on independent journalism. I urge the authorities to fully investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to account,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in a statement.

In 2022, Mexico witnessed the killings of 13 journalists, the highest since Article 19 began keeping records in 2000.

(With inputs from agencies)