translated from Spanish: Segob announces redesign of Journalist Protection Mechanism

The Ministry of the Interior (Segob) reported that it carries out an “institutional reengineering” to the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, so that it has a holistic approach that responds to the needs of the persons concerned.
In a statement, the unit noted that from December 2018 to December 2019 452 cases were dealt with, of which 183 were attached to the Mechanism, a figure 66% higher than the previous year and with which 2019 became the year with the most attended cases.
The Segob added that to date, the Unit for the Defense of Human Rights and the National Executive Coordination, coordinated by the Undersecretariat for Human Rights, have registered 1,86 people attached to the mechanism, of whom 721 are dedicated to the defense of human rights (371 women, 350 men); and 365 to journalism (97 women and 268 men).
According to the Segob in the last year, the strategy for monitoring assault cases has been improved, as well as working on the generation of statistical data to be published, along with risk maps.
The restructuring of the Facility includes strengthening prevention, taking increasingly appropriate and effective protective measures, as well as effective access to justice and damage reparation.
Last September, the Organization Article 19 noted that 2019 had been one of the most violent years for journalists since 249 assaults were documented from January to July, one every 17.4 hours.
In the same month journalists now under protection accused of deficiencies and stressed that in the last four years the Mechanism has not prevented 7 journalists threatened and part of it from being killed by their assailants, such as the case of journalist Rubén Pat, who was shot dead in July 2018 for his journalistic activity.
They added that “there are still many pending on the list to achieve true comprehensive, medium- and long-term care.”
In response to these complaints, who had already spoken publicly on multiple occasions is Alejandro Encinas, undersecretary of human rights, who for months announced the redesign of the Mechanism to prevent attention failures.
In March 2019, Encinas admitted that the mechanism’s actions were reaction and not prevention, so, said, López Obrador’s government will implement instruments to identify risk situations, minimize bureaucratic measures, and expedite urgent protection measures, other major requests from journalists and Article 19.
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Original source in Spanish