The Baja California State Human Rights Commission (CEDHBC) called on authorities to investigate and provide protection for a Punto Norte reporter who was physically attacked while live-streaming coverage of a vehicle accident in Tijuana on April 3.
The reporter was broadcasting from the scene of a traffic accident on Libramiento Salvador Rosas Magallón when a man interrupted her live stream. He threatened her, physically assaulted her, and stole her equipment before Tijuana Municipal Police detained him at the scene.
CEDHBC Calls for Investigation and Protective Measures
The CEDHBC formally requested that the Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), Baja California’s State Attorney General’s Office, open an investigation into the incident. The commission also asked the FGE to ensure protective measures are put in place for the journalist.
In its statement, the commission called on all parties to respect the practice of journalism. The attack took place during an active live broadcast, making it visible to the outlet’s audience in real time.
Tijuana Remains One of Mexico’s Most Dangerous Cities for Journalists
The assault adds to a long record of violence against the press in Tijuana. The border city has been one of the deadliest places in Mexico for media workers. In January 2022, photojournalist Margarito Martínez was shot and killed outside his home. One week later, journalist Lourdes Maldonado López was fatally shot in the outskirts of the city.
International organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders have repeatedly ranked Mexico among the world’s most dangerous countries for reporters. The human rights group Article 19 documented 145 killings of journalists in Mexico between 2000 and 2021.
Mexico’s federal government operates a protection program for journalists and human rights defenders, launched in 2012. As of early 2022, the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists had 1,504 beneficiaries, with 493 of them being media professionals. Critics have questioned the program’s effectiveness.
The CEDHBC’s intervention in this latest case places renewed pressure on Baja California state authorities to act. The detained suspect’s identity and any charges filed have not yet been publicly confirmed. The incident was first reported by Punto Norte.