By KATIE HOVAN<\/p>\n
Mexican journalist Anabel Flores Salazar was found dead on the side of a highway Tuesday after being abducted from her Veracruz home in the early morning hours Monday.<\/p>\n
Salazar, who reported crime for the Mexican newspaper El Sol de Orizaba,<\/em> was found naked and bound in the state of Puebla, according to the Puebla Attorney General\u2019s office.<\/p>\n According to Salazar\u2019s aunt, who witnessed the abduction, the kidnappers entered the home with an alleged warrant for Salazar\u2019s arrest.<\/p>\n The death reports that followed are unfortunately the norm in many countries outside of the U.S. According to CNN, Salazar was one of 11 reported journalist murders in the Veracruz state within the past five years. Regrettably, that number doesn\u2019t include at least 10 other Mexican journalists who have gone missing or whose murders remain mysteries.<\/p>\n Although Mexico boasts a special prosecutor for crimes against freedom of expression, the very fact that such a thing exists in the country is evidence that major changes need to be made to protect journalists\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n It is the 21st<\/sup> century and freedom of speech and the press should be a fundamental right for all journalists worldwide, let alone all people, without fear of persecution.<\/p>\n This request may be difficult to make a reality\u00a0given Mexico\u2019s longstanding crime and corruption and it\u2019s impossible to keep journalists safe from all harm, but it should at least serve as some motivation to take action.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an extremely sad day for the world as a whole, when a person is killed for doing her job courageously and attempting to uncover the truth.<\/p>\n Major changes needed to be made for\u00a0reporters in more dangerous countries, and how to make those changes will be an even more strenuous\u00a0undertaking. But, as of now, justice will come only when the Mexican government convicts Salazar’s\u00a0killers and develops a system\u00a0to more fervently protect its reporters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By KATIE HOVAN Mexican journalist Anabel Flores Salazar was found dead on the side of a highway Tuesday after being abducted from her Veracruz home in the early morning hours Monday. Salazar, who reported crime for the Mexican newspaper El … Continue reading