The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
OHCHR Press Conference: Safety of Journalists - 14 November 2024
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56:10
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MP4
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3.3 GB
TRT: 04 min 03s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 14 NOVEMBER 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speakers:
- Renaud de Villaine, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR
- Diego Luna, Actor and Executive Producer of State Of Silence
- Santiago Maza, Director State Of Silence
- Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters Without Borders
SHOTLIST
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- Exterior medium: UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide, UN Geneva Press room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Renaud de Villaine, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR: "The figures are crazy I would say, because still there are eight cases of murders of journalists out of 10 not investigated around the world.”
- Medium-wide, Press room, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Diego Luna, Actor and Executive Producer, "State Of Silence”: “I think it's time for us to come out, us citizens, to come out and protect journalism around the world and protect these voices that are crucial for us to experience freedom, to experience democracy and to live in a healthy world. There is no access to truth if there is no free journalism.”
- Medium-wide, podium speakers, photographers, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Thibaut Bruttin, Director General of Reporters Without Borders “Journalists are not numbers, they are actual people; it's not one more journalist being killed, it's another story that's gone, it's another live that’s disrupted. And then a lot of gravity thinking of the families of journalists. Also, journalists don't die, they're killed. Somebody is behind that.”
- Medium, journalists, TV screens showing podium speaker.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Renaud de Villaine, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR: “The judicial system in many countries is used and I would say also weaponized by State actors sometimes, but also by non-state actors to target journalists and media outlets. And it explains this criminalization of journalists, it explains why there is still a high rate of journalists being detained around the world - more than 300 according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is another lead organization working to defend journalists around the world.”
- Medium, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters Without Borders: “Mexico is a test case for the ability of the international community and the journalists to continue having impact. It is currently ranked 121st in the World Press Freedom Index by RSF and 165th in terms of safety. So, we have 155 journalists killed since 2000.”
- Medium, Diego Luna and Santiago Maza at the podium.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Santiago Maza, Director of “State of Silence”: “The fact that there's a new president doesn't mean that there's going to be an improvement in the situation, but it does provide an opportunity to address this properly and to change the hierarchy of what needs to be addressed by the Government.”
- Medium-wide, podium speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters Without Borders: “What we're facing is something that is very specific in a country that is allegedly in peace times. And we have here a vicious circle of organized crimes that is able to target and hit journalists and some issues with systemic corruption, plus also the failure of some of the institutions.”
- Medium, photographers, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Diego Luna, Actor and Executive Producer of State Of Silence”: “When you silence a journalist, you're not just silencing one voice, you're silencing the voice of thousands of communities that needed that journalist to connect with the outside.”
- TV journalist using mobile phone.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Diego Luna, Actor and Executive Producer of State Of Silence”: “The numbers are a scandal already. You know, the numbers you heard here, but it's not just about that, it's what that violence generates. It's the amount of young people that today are questioning if pursuing the dream of being a journalist or not, it’s the number of people who are scared of giving an interview today.”
- Medium, journalists, participants.
- Medium, journalist.
- Medium, photographer, journalists.
Everyone has a role in press freedom, insists Narcos star Diego Luna
Mexican actor, producer and director Diego Luna took a break from the big screen on Thursday to highlight the dangers faced by journalists in his country and beyond, condemning murders of reporters everywhere as “a scandal”.
Speaking to journalists at UN Geneva ahead of a screening of his new documentary State Of Silence, Mr. Luna insisted that the issue of their safety was everyone’s responsibility.
“I think it's time for us to come out, us citizens, to come out and protect journalism around the world and protect these voices that are crucial for us to experience freedom, to experience democracy and to live in a healthy world,” he said. “There is no access to truth if there is no free journalism.”
According to UNESCO, the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural agency that is mandated with keeping track of and promoting journalists’ safety worldwide, in 2022 and 2023, a journalist was killed every four days.
Efforts to encourage governments to do more to protect journalists are also spearheaded by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, which leads the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. A staggering eight in 10 murders of journalists are not investigated around the world, said OHCHR Human Rights Officer Renaud de Villaine, who highlighted a “persistence” of the killing of journalists today.
“It happens in in conflict situations, like in the Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” he said. But it can also happen in countries not at war such as Mexico, where journalists investigating corruption, drugs, cartels and gangs like those who feature in the documentary “are specifically targeted”.
Since 2017, there have been 69 recorded murders and 32 documented cases of disappearances of journalists in Mexico, Mr. de Villaine noted, before insisting that the crisis belied deeper systemic issues which OHCHR was working hard with the authorities to resolve. “Journalists are not the only ones targeted…the problem is beyond journalism,” he maintained, noting the recent gruesome murder of city mayor Alejandro Arcos in Guerrero state.
Echoing those concerns, Santiago Maza, Director of State Of Silence, explained simply that “violence pays off” against journalists. The theme runs through the documentary which tells the stories of courageous investigative reporters from Mexico who have endured violence and threats on their lives which have forced them into hiding, in the pursuit of their work into subjects including illegal logging and the exploitation of vulnerable communities whose rivers have been diverted.
“The current situation won't change by itself, Mr. Maza insisted. “The fact that there's a new president doesn't mean that there's going to be an improvement in the situation, but it does provide an opportunity to address this properly and to change the hierarchy of what needs to be addressed by the Government.”
The dangers journalists face today include an increasing trend in many countries to criminalize their activities by using the apparatus of government.
“The judicial system in many countries is used and I would say also weaponized by State actors sometimes, but also by non-state actors to target journalists and media outlets,” said Mr. de Villaine. “It explains this criminalization of journalists, it explains why there is still a high rate of journalists being detained around the world - more than 300,” he said, citing the NGO Committee to Protect Journalists.
According to the Reporters Without Borders, Mexico ranks 121st in its World Press Freedom Index and 165th in terms of safety. A staggering 155 journalists have been killed there since 2000 because of organized crime “that is able to target and hit journalists…systemic corruption, plus also the failure of some institutions”, said Thibaut Bruttin, the NGO’s Director General.
“Journalists are not numbers, they are actual people,” he told reporters in Geneva. “It's not one more journalist being killed, it's another story that's gone, it's another life that’s disrupted…Also, journalists don't die, they're killed. Somebody is behind that.”
Explaining his reasons for wanting to get involved in the project as its executive producer, Mr. Luna said that over and above the “scandal” of the high number of journalists killed in Mexico, the wider negative impact on society needed to be addressed.
“It's what that violence generates,” he said. “It's the amount of young people that today are questioning if pursuing the dream of being a journalist or not, it’s the number of people who are scared of giving an interview today.”
He added: “When you silence a journalist, you're not just silencing one voice, you're silencing the voice of thousands of communities that needed that journalist to connect with the outside.”
ends
Teleprompter
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very, very much.
And sorry for the slight delay.
We're actually waiting for one of our panellists to join us and hopefully he'll be here momentarily.
But I just wanted to firstly, thank you very, very much again for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this important press conference addressing a critical global issue, which of course is very close to to your hearts as journalists and, and to us at the UN.
That is the safety of journalists.
And we're we're really, really privileged to have with us a distinguished panel today to speak about this important issue from various angles, I would say.
[Other language spoken]
We have in the middle here my colleague and friend Renaud de Vilan, who is a human rights officer with the Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
He's a specialist on safety of journalists and he'll provide some insights on the latest trends on attacks against journalists and actions by the UN to address these horrific acts.
Mr Bhutan of the Director General, Reporters Without Borders will be joining us shortly and and certainly he'll be able to provide an insight from the organisation that he leads, which is obviously committed to promoting press freedom around the globe.
And then again, joining us from the world of film and storytelling, I would say we're very, very pleased to have Mr Santiago Matzo, who's a filmmaker and director of the film documentary State of Silence.
It's a powerful documentary which explores the silencing effects of repression on free speech.
And finally, in the centre there, centre left, is Diego Luna, award-winning actor and human rights advocate and executive producer of this impactful documentary in Santiago.
Santiago and Diego will offer a perspective on how film can amplify the realities that journalists face.
And just a last note, Housekeeping, just to remind you that this evening we have our Cinel Nu screening at the Cinerama and you have the invitation.
We've been mentioning it here where A State of Silence will be screened at 6:45 this evening.
Our distinguished panellists will be there this evening.
Following the film screening, there'll be a panel discussion together with the **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Volcker Turk, along with your our very own Gunilla Van Hal, one of your colleagues who will give the perspective Geneva based journalists on uncovering conflicts.
So and just maybe a last note, this is English and French, but there will be opportunities afterwards and some of you will want to speak with our colleagues in Spanish.
So we will try to make some time at the end.
But without further ado, we'll I'll turn over to Renault for some brief opening remarks and then Santiago, then Diego Renault.
Hello everyone, Bourgeois Tous.
So thank you very much for inviting me to participate to that press conference.
It's a great pleasure and honour to be with FFF, one of the lead organisation defending journalists worldwide, but also with Santiago Matza and Diego Luna, the the the director and producer of this wonderful, I have to say, a documentary about field journalists in Mexico facing risk every day in in the work.
The title of that documentary is, as you know, as a State of Silence.
I have to say that that documentary is one more illustration of the fact that it was highlighted by our **** Commissioner for Human Rights early this month to celebrate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
The fact is that attacks against journalists is increasing around the world and indeed the UN human rights as regularly monitored and report reported on on I would say 5 main trends regarding the safety of journalists.
The first one is the persistence of the killing of journalists worldwide.
It happens in in conflict situation like in the Middle East but also in Ukraine.
But not only it, it can happen in countries not experiencing a war like Mexico for for example.
And in in Zeus situation, when there is no war going on, we see that journalist investigating on corruption, on the drugs, on cartels, gangs related issue are specifically targeted and this is really still a concern.
The second main trend is the fact that there is also a persistence of impunity for those crimes against journalists.
The the the figures are are crazy I would say because still there there are 88 cases of murders of journalists not out of 10 not investigated around around the world.
The third trend I would say is linked to the legal harassment of journalists.
By legal harassment we mean 2 main things.
First the fact that around the world there are many laws that are taken or exist that criminalise the work of journalists.
So there are old fashioned laws, I would say like defamation laws or libel, but also new types of laws like security laws like fake news laws, like laws to to tackle cybersecurity that also affect the work of journalists and more broadly freedom of opinion and expression.
And linked to that also is the fact that the judicial system in the in many countries is used and I would say also weaponized by state actors sometimes, but also by non state actors to target journalists and media outlets.
And it explain this criminalisation of journalists.
It explain why there is still a **** rate of journalists being detained around the world, more than 300 according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is another lead organisation working to defend journalists around the world.
The 4th trend I would say is linked to the harassment of woman journalist harassment online.
But we've repercussion offline as we can, as we can witness.
And finally, the 5th trend is linked to the use by state actors, but also by non state actors of technologies to spy on, on on on journalists.
And there were many investigation reporter St Frontier actually was associated to one of them about the use of spyware to to spy over media outlets and and journalists.
In that context, 12 years ago, the the UN adopted the UN Plan of Action for the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.
And with UNESCO, ACHR is in charge of implementing that plan of action.
And I would say, oh, ACHR do it through three main lines of action.
First, prevention.
We, we, we try to do awareness raising like like today, but also at at field level.
We, we try also to, to have a strong advocacy for the safety of journalists.
And I have to say that the **** Commissioner tried to to speak as much as he can about the situation of journalists around the world.
Secondly, we do a lot of work around the protection through our monitoring, investigation and reporting activities, but also through the capacity building of journalist, journalist association as well as civil society organisation working on freedom of expression.
We do it also by working with some governments to set up or sometimes strengthen national protection mechanisms for journalists.
That's that is something that, for example, we do with the Mexican government in in Mexico.
And finally, we we try also to work on the prosecution side by training judges, prosecutors, but also very importantly, lawyers to add them better protect and assist journalists that face risk.
So much more need to to be done, but I have to say that that it is a a long lasting work and I would say that it is a very important work.
And to quote again or I Commissioner, a Free Press feeds a free society and fuels democratic decision making.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much for now very important messages indeed.
Now, I'm very pleased to have with us Mr Bertanti Bo Bouton, Director General of RSF, who is maybe going to give a few opening comments before we go to our other panellists on this panel.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much for having me and having the opportunity to discuss what is at the heart.
And by heart I really mean that it's about emotion, motion pictures about emotion.
And I think it's very important to to say that what has been achieved by Santiago and and Diego is important in order to find new ways to address the challenges of the killing of journalists in Mexico.
Mexico is a test case for the ability of the international community and the journalist to continue having impact.
It is currently ranked 121st in the WordPress Freedom Index by RSF and 160 fifths in terms of safety.
So we have 155 journalists killed since 2000 and I would like to have, you know, 1 sought today for Mauricio Crusolis, who was killed on October 29th.
What we're facing is something that is very specific in a country that is allegedly in peace times.
And we have here a vicious circle of organised crimes that is able to target and hit a journalist, some issues with the systemic corruption, plus also the failure of some of the institutions.
So at RSF, we're really committed to continue working on, you know, the safety of journalists in Mexico.
And there are two angles to that.
There's the question of the impunity of the crimes, that crimes that have been committed already and the question of the protection of the journalists that are currently at risk.
And it's very important to say that in terms of impunity, we've conducted tests.
It's called a safer War for the Truce, an unprecedented project conducted by both RSF, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Free Press Unlimited, other press freedom organisations.
And we have launched investigation and prosecutions as part of a Russell Tribunal, so an opinion tribunal, a people's tribunal.
And we found ways to, you know, go deeper, further in some of the cases that we worked on than what's the actual prosecutors in the actual countries had gone through or had been to.
So we think that when there is a will, there is a way and we encourage the prosecutor whom we met again on December and November 2nd during a field visit to Mexico to continue escalating some of the cases at federal level.
The second thing is the protection of current journalists and we have seen cases of journalists that have been killed while under protection.
So we're seeing the trend towards a failure of the protection mechanism and we need that to change.
We need the funding to be growing and more sustainable.
We need to achieve a result in there.
And RSF has produced a report on existing protection mechanism in Latin America and we will renew this report, we will republish it with additional data in 2025 S.
The normalisation of violence within Mexican society is something that is very worrying and it results also in sometimes indifference with the fate of journalists.
So cinema and once again praising the work I met Santiago in in Geneva, I remember about six months ago, is really important.
I think it's something that can enable us to explain that journalists are not members, they are actual people.
It's not one more journalist being killed, it's another story that's gone.
It's another life that's interrupted.
And I'm a lot of gravity thinking of the families of journalists.
Also, journalists don't die, they're killed.
Somebody's behind that.
And also we are also collectively responsible for their safety.
So there is no fatality in there.
It could be otherwise, and I think that's what we are talking about today.
And I think this movie matters because of that, because we need to find new ways to build this coalition between the people and the journalists to safeguard, not journalism per SE.
Journalism is important, but what matters is the right for the people to know.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Tebow.
And of course, we'll be thank you for sharing the information much safer for the safer world for the press that initiative.
So of course that and you spoke about the importance of film.
So we're going to immediately go to Santiago who's going to speak speak a little bit more about the importance of this very important media on on getting the word out on this particular issue.
So Santiago, over to you.
Thank you, thank you for providing us this space and this platform to to talk about State of Silence and the reality depicts for us.
It's, it's very important to reach certain audiences and, and the general public as well, because we definitely believe in documentary filmmaking as an advocacy tool, as a way to shed light on the problems that affects us and affect in this case, the the Mexican society.
I couldn't agree more with what, with what has had been said, because this is an issue that is global.
This is an issue that is sadly very much alive.
We have with this new administration in Mexico, we already have a new, sadly, a new tragedy of another journalist being killed.
And so for us, it's very important that, that we put this theme and out there and that we discuss it because it's, it's something that it happens all over the world with, with different characteristics.
In other countries, there's state control of the press.
In other regions, the smaller media outlets are being, are becoming extinct because they cannot afford to, to keep up with big media outlets.
And, and in Mexico and in other countries with similar characteristics, the the, the first level, the first cause of violence for journalists is that point of fusion between organised crime and, and government and, and how corruption and impunity become a system that definitely works against the freedom of press.
And, and I think that for me, I would like to, I would like to think that this documentary reminds, reminds us of the human aspect of, of journalism.
[Other language spoken]
And those points of view belong to people that, that are out there that are sharing what happens in their communities.
And that's how we become a more solid society because we're informed.
And, and I think that this, this right is, it's something that has been put in question.
The role of journalist has been put in question throughout the world because it definitely benefits certain interests.
But we as a society, we need to embrace this, right?
Just as I remember when I was a kid, we weren't taking care of water the way we do now.
And, and the, the big change was that everyone now takes care of water.
And I don't think we are aware of how much we need to take care of our right to have a healthy and safe freedom of press.
And, and I hope these documentaries definitely change this, this perception and that we, we respect that we take care and we defend our journalists.
That's that's the reason why we did this project and we've been working on it for for several years now.
We're working to make it to have it being shared in as much spaces as possible because we need to have like a direct conversation with the with the public, because if we all take take responsibility for what's happening, then we can definitely imagine that there can be a change in the future.
[Other language spoken]
And I'm I'm I'm optimistic that your your magnificent documentary will indeed make a change.
And of course, your presence here and and advocacy work that you're doing.
So thank you very much.
And maybe just to just express condolences to the to the family of Mr Cruz Solis, who both Thibault and Santiago referred to was killed, I believe on the 29th of October in Mexico.
Last but not least, we Diego Luna, who is executive producer of this film, is going to provide a few short insights over to Diego.
Thank you very much.
It's an honour to be here and it's, it's wonderful to hear your voices.
And we, we worked really hard to get to this point.
And it's, it's a, it's a dream come true that something that matters so deeply to us now has this opportunity to, to meet audiences around the world and hopefully bring debate and, and create a reflection that's needed.
For me, it's very simple.
I'm the citizen I am because of the points of view I had access to.
Journalism has been crucial for me to to become the the man I am, to become the father I am, to be the professional that I am.
And, and I think it's time for us to come out as citizens, to come out and protect journalism around the world and, and protect these voices that are crucial for us to experience freedom, to experience democracy and, and to live in a in a, in a healthy world.
There's no access to truth if there is no free journalism.
There is.
I come from a country where everything I know, I can blame a journalist, you know?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
It's impunity is huge in Mexico and the little I know about how much my country has to change is because journalists were there is because journalists went out and and because journalists care about something that then I care for.
When you silence a journalist, you you're not just silencing one voice, you're silencing the voice of thousands of communities that needed that journalist to connect with the outside.
The numbers are are a scandal already, you know, the numbers you heard here.
But it it's not just about that.
It's what that violence generates.
You know, it's the amount of young people that today are questioning if pursuing the dream of being a journalist or not.
You know, it's the amount of people that are scared to give an interview today.
It's the amount of people that are journalists that know things and they don't know if they can publish it or not.
You know, they're censoring themselves because of fear.
We're not talking just about these numbers.
[Other language spoken]
And what the documentary tries is to tell you that it doesn't happen in one area or the other.
This violence, this fear, this impunity is everywhere and and we do films because we want to seat people in front of a screen and tell them a story for an hour and a half and make sure that the problem becomes their problem.
Therefore inviting audiences to be part of a solution.
Documentary has the strength of Bring Change.
Documentary has show that that is a it's a beautiful tool because if we talk today about the numbers, the statistics, you're going to be able to go out and experience your life the way you came in probably.
But if I tell you the story of a mother that can't see her son anymore or a family that has to move out of their community and lost connection with their, their family members.
If I tell you the the, the story of someone that has a passion and and cannot do it anymore because of fear, you might care.
It's, it's when it's about a personal and intimate story that you might establish a connection.
And cinema has that strength.
[Other language spoken]
So I urge you to help us promote and to help us get people to sit down and watch this film and then hopefully the film will do the rest, you know, But it's time for U.S.
citizens to come out and and tell this community that we are there, that we are aware and that we care.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Very, very poignant words.
Of course, we we do indeed care and it is time for us to speak out.
So thank you very much for doing so here.
We'll now take questions from we'll start for with any journalists in the room who have a question.
Maybe we'll start with our resident Mexican journalist, Gabriela Sotomayor from El Proceso.
Gabby, over to you.
Yes, I'm a a journalist for Proceso and I have several questions, one for the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
What is failing in your office regarding Mexico that the situation keeps on going worse and worse and worse?
For example, **** Commissioner, this is the first time he will address the situation about violence and journalist and killing, and I don't know why.
For example, the Human Rights Council doesn't having their agenda the situation of Mexican journalist killed.
So what can what can you fix?
I mean, are the governments that are not the government of Mexico that is not collaborating with you?
What is what is the cause?
Because journalists are keep on dying and killing like, like you, like you saw also what else?
Well, if you can answer and then I, I have another questions.
Yeah, thank you for for your question.
Actually, this is not the first time that the the Office of the **** Commissioner speaks about the situation of journalists in in Mexico.
We have been monitoring the situation very closely through our field presence in, in Mexico.
And just to, to let you know and to give you a figure, since 2017, we have, we have counted, yeah, 69 murders of journalists in Mexico and we have reported about that.
And in addition, we are, we have also documented, documented, sorry, 32 cases of disappearances of, of journalists in, in Mexico.
And actually we work with the government of Mexico.
As I mentioned also in my introductory remarks, we, we, we did in 2019 a diagnosis of the national protection mechanisms for journalists in, in Mexico.
And since then, we, we are, we have been working with the government to improve that mechanism by actually also including civil society organisation in the managing board of, of the mechanism, which was actually an improvement compared to what existed before.
And we, we are continuing our monitoring and reporting and, and trying also to, to make the link also with prosecutor's office in Mexico for crimes to be prosecuted.
So we, we are really on the, on the frontline.
I, I have to say it's not so much a problem of, of, of from the government, the problems I think in Mexico.
And I'm sure Diego Luna and Santiago Masa can, can speak much better than me about the situation in Mexico.
There are so many structural issues that needs to be addressed and that explain also the irate of journalists being killed in Mexico.
But journalists are not the only one targeted.
I think there was the ****** of of a city mayor quite recently in in Mexico, if I don't mistake.
So this is the problem is is beyond journalism, I think.
Thank you, Santiago and Diego, of course, if you feel like you wanted to jump and just just please do so.
I just wanted to interject for a second to remind you all that of course there is a resolution at the Human Rights Council.
You referred to the Human Rights Council.
There is a standing resolution and safety of journalists for the last decade now.
And of course this is these are words on paper.
The idea is to really translate to something meaningful, something action oriented on the ground to really make a difference.
And this is what we really trying to pressure, not just in Mexico, but you know, countries around the globe.
And of course, RSF has been an invaluable partner with us at the OHHR and in the Human Arts Council as well.
But of course, feel free to jump in at any point in time at Santiago in in Diego.
But you had some additional questions, Maybe you want to pose those now.
Well, to met some reporters, some frontier.
Why do you think that Government Street Journal is like a second class citizens?
What is happening with a lot of governments that doesn't give the respect to our job?
And and then I have another question.
The short answer is because it pays off.
And we've seen Donald Trump being elected not despite the media, but because he assaulted the media repeatedly verbally.
And what we think at RSF is that the question of the responsibility of political figures and policy makers is huge.
The Word Press Freedom Index we issued in 2024 on May 3rd for WordPress Freedom Day highlighted a decline in the political climate generally, globally.
So we think that there is a strategy, an ongoing strategy of many political figures at **** level to undermine the credibility of journalists and to pre empt the ******* to to to them.
That's being done because it's it's it's a way to structure the conversation.
When journalists will report on the truce and the wrongdoings of administrations, they will be already discredited among the general public because the politicians have done that.
We have warned the candidates of the presidential election in Mexico and we got some feedback from three of the main candidates around some of the positions they should make and some of the, you know, attitudes you should avoid.
And we think there is a huge responsibility on being a role model for the way you address the press.
There is also a responsibility in enforcing policies that favour the press.
And the truth is that in many countries it's very difficult to to get that done indeed.
You want to put your last question, Gabby, then I think you already had a question.
[Other language spoken]
The last question is for Diego and Santiago.
How do you see the new government in Mexico?
Because I see, I feel in the distance that freedom of expression and freedom of the press is worst with the new government.
For example, in in there are TV programmes that journalists have been kicked out.
For example, Ciro Gomez Deva is now in Madrid, Amparo Casa is now in Madrid.
Lots of journalists are not speaking out.
A processor is having a lot of problems, you know, economic problems.
So if you have a message to the new president of Mexico, what would you say to, to her?
And if you see the same that the situation is worsening in the last years with the this government?
[Other language spoken]
Well, I, from what we've studied, the, the violence has gotten worse and worse throughout the last 20 years, even despite the, the party that that had won the last elections.
So it's very systemic, the way it works.
And as Thivo said, it's because it works.
It's because the violence pays off.
And, and, and I think that the current situation won't change by itself.
The fact that there's a new president doesn't mean that there's going to be an improvement in the situation, but it does provide an opportunity to, to put the to address this properly and to change the hierarchy of, of what needs to be addressed by the government.
And I would personally like the new administration to to fully acknowledge what's happened, what's happening, because that's the first step.
Not like in the in the last administration, denial was a big source of violence.
And, and I think that this is something that is not being.
Yeah, they don't realise how how much violence just denying the problem creates.
So, so for me, like the first step is to acknowledge the problem.
And I do hope that it happens soon, because this is an urgent matter, Yeah.
Yeah, Articulo Diecinueve said recently.
And and we were in this in this conference where they were talking about how the last administration gave more money to the protection system.
But at the same time, you know, the, the confrontation every morning in Las Mananeras was part of the same, you know, the same, the same caldo de cultivo, you know.
So I think, I think, as Santiago says, this is an opportunity and I am gonna yes, obviously there is, there is a, there is a, a frontal call to the government to pay attention to change, to sit down, discuss, to listen, to listen to, to, to the community and the, and the real needs that obviously, you know, and that's part of, of doing this movie.
But the big call here is to audiences.
I'll, I'll tell you why more than well, it was 2017 when I decided I, I want to do a project about this.
The, the horrendous assassination of, of Javier Valdez happened, right?
And, and I remember going out in front of gubernacion in Mexico City and the whole community was out there, you know, protesting.
And all the images of all the journalists killed were there and the disappeared ones were there.
And the whole community was raising their voices.
And they were like, there was this feeling of like this has to stop.
And the journalistic community was there, but the audiences were not, you know, the citizens that were were being fed by this community.
We're not out there supporting this community.
I promise you something will happen if one day this matters to U.S.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I mean, we, we are a very young and very unhealthy democracy.
They care about boats.
They care about people.
And we're not out there, you know, putting pressure this, this first has to, has to matter to us.
You know, it's, it's very simple to have access to news in your phone, but there's like you're part of a chain and there's so many people that had to do something for the, for that piece to get, you know, to your, to, to, to your mobile, for that piece of information to get to be part of your knowledge.
There's, there's some, there is people's lives there, you know, and we have to, we have to go out there and meet them, you know, and I think that they, these will matter, you know, and we, we have a great opportunity in Mexico and democracy is a great opportunity.
Is the opportunity, right?
I mean, it's, it's the chance we have to perform as citizens and to say this matters to us.
So I do think we are in, in, in a moment where we have to use this, you know, to, to, to make sure these changes and, and, and again, to make sure we have access to truth, you know, to fight for that.
The, the right, we have to be informed.
That is the right that is, is, is in danger today, you know, and we have to go out there because then it's our fight and it's your fight.
It's my fight.
It's Santiago's fight.
[Other language spoken]
We we have a right to be informed and we have to fight for that right.
Thank you very, very much.
[Other language spoken]
OK, Yuri in the in the room on the left.
Yuri is our correspondent from Rio Navostia, the Russian Federation.
[Other language spoken]
The the.
Fairing difference through an approcation promo.
Political journalist.
Propagandist.
The CDQ is an addiction.
[Other language spoken]
The compound.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Activity.
Professional responsibility.
But the regulator of the media do you know more that they expect the sequestion for absolute moment of war could order one.
The potential is this past democratic.
The potential is this past information and basically exist.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
The necessity.
This is the media situation the journalist on Ukraine, as usually I play on Ukraine on a POC documente look at the the journalist Ukrainian tree don't look at this this hostility on a pure documente DPW Vander Vatner for journalist committee tree.
Don't look at the journalist.
Do we have other question in the front row?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
First of all, I wanted to know about the timing of this, this film, whether it's was time to, to come out at the time, you know, when the the new president was coming into, into office.
And then also I wanted to know perhaps from from Mr Bhutan about how he sees the role of documentaries as you had described there a number of media that's that are disappearing, smaller media that are disappearing.
There's the social media also that's taking over in terms of informing people.
And just just wondering what role the, you know, documentaries can play in, you know, in defending?
The the.
Freedom of expression, basically.
[Other language spoken]
So basically the yeah, the timing I, I'm going to start with something that Marcos said.
Marcos is one of the journalists that that we follow in this, in this film.
And Marcos said sadly, this film is needed.
You know, it's been needed for, for, for many years and it's still needed.
And, and, and we wish that wasn't the case.
We wish we were late because obviously here it's not about selling tickets or this is, this is about something else.
This is, this is, this is about a story that has got more and more urgent.
If something, you know, we started, as I said before, like in in 2017, I wanted to do something about the journalism.
I think five or six years ago we started like seriously working in this project and, and it's been a long time and Santiago did an amazing job of being patient and following them.
You know, it's, it's not easy to ask people to talk about their lives, but try to ask a journalist a question, you know, it takes time for the answer to come if it comes, if it ever comes, you know, they're the, they're the ones asking the questions.
And, and Santiago was patient and he and he got what we needed, which was an opportunity to see, you know, to see behind to, to, to go as deep as possible into what makes someone want to be a journalist on those circumstances.
You know, because it's, it's, it must not be an easy choice.
You know, you have to risk everything.
And, and he and, and, and he had to be patient also to make you feel the time pass.
You know, this is not a thing that is happening today.
You know, this is not a thing that is happening in the last two years.
This has been happening for decades.
And it has got more and more complicated.
And what's happening to journalists in Mexico.
It's an opportunity to understand what's happening in the war in, in Mexico.
Sorry, in the whole country, you know, to everyone, like the way I mean, it's been said here, the way we've normalised violence in Mexico, you know, the, the way we allow indifference, you know, to to protect us has become part of the problem today, you know, So anyway, it's been more than five years.
And yes, we were thinking when is the right moment to bring this documentary out.
And, and this connects with the answer of the previous question, We do see an opportunity, definitely an opportunity in this moment for things to change.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
You know why, why believing that that the world can be better for your kids.
Like obviously we see an opportunity here and we want to become part of something bigger that transcends the film and, and, and that the film is used just as a tool for this community to bring the change and the attention needed to the subject.
[Other language spoken]
That's the job of the of of us as audience.
You know, the good films at least just detonate your reflection.
But then it's where that takes you that that might bring change, you know?
So yeah, that's you want to say something else about that?
Sorry.
Yeah, I mean, I would only add that exactly like this year is, is important not only for for Mexico in terms of elections.
This is a year filled with elections worldwide after, I mean, we, we had our world premiere in June and we released this documentary on platforms in in North and Latin America in October.
And since like the political landscape has been reshaped after the elections in the US and we still have more elections coming up.
So we definitely hope that this is a, we tried to do a portrait that felt human and, and therefore we don't want this to be like yesterday's news exactly.
We want this to, to the story to prevail and that we have a long time of reflection and debate and exchanging ideas and possibilities and that this state of silence is only the excuse.
So, so therefore, I mean, timing is important, but we, we do hope that this this is not just a one day spark, but something that lasts for a long time.
Which, sorry, I just wanna since we're here and, and it's true, like and, and, and you're writing for the world.
If you live in North America, you can watch it on Netflix.
It's there and, and you can share it also, which is, I mean, it's, it's something the platform gives the opportunity for you to, to share it with as many people as you as you can.
And, and, and just passing the microphone to, I'm going to pronounce it terribly.
[Other language spoken]
How is it Tibo, Tibo, Tibo, just because I really like what you asked.
We, we, we, we have a documentary Film Festival in Mexico.
It's called Ambulante and it's turning 20 years old now.
And, and I can tell you that it is a tool.
It is a tool exactly for what you were asking.
And, and audiences have grown and, and audiences are using documentary, you know, and, and are connecting to other realities and finding out that there's so much in common, that the struggle is not just your struggle through documentaries and that are also celebrating their, their lives and their communities and their achievements and through documentaries.
It's incredible.
But documentaries are capable of, I can, I can, I can tell you, I've witnessed that, you know, I've witnessed audiences that watch the documentary, then learn to do documentaries and then brought change to their communities through documentaries.
It's, it's, it's beautiful to see the, the, that process that you have to be patient for that process.
But if you if, if you're patient, it is a, it is a fantastic tool.
Yeah, I'll just to compliment that this question is has a lot of resonance for me because I'm also a film historian and and I've worked in the in the movie production business myself.
And I think there is a good opportunity for journalism cinema and NGO to old hands and and state of Silence.
I wanted to be here today because I think it's precisely what it's trying to achieve.
Documentary films contribute to journalism, are part of journalism to some extent, and my organisation has helped and supported documentary film makers.
I have a specific thought for Brent Renault, American filmmaker who died in the early weeks in Ukraine while doing a documentary.
So we do support them and we do believe that documentary films contribute to telling the world the same way journalism does.
But it goes further if it reaches the ability to, you know, attract the interest of the audience for a long time.
And sitting 90 minutes in the dark or 80 minutes in the dark can change your mind.
[Other language spoken]
And that's what is very interesting for us to explore.
And Vin Vanders, you know, the filmmaker is also an expert documentary filmmaker, says that motion pictures are emotion pictures.
And I really believe that it's another way to tell the same story sometimes, but we need this other way.
We need to be better in NGOs than being storytellers.
And that's why we welcome so much, I would say the the support and the input of film makers.
Further questions before we wrap up.
OK, Gabby, another question.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
Sorry to ask so many questions.
Santiago, how, how dangerous was for you to make this movie and why did you persist?
Sorry, we were aware that there were risks in doing this film and therefore we, we had the, the opportunity and the luxury of reaching out to Article 19 to RSF in Mexico and, and to CPJ.
So, so they, they provided us with tools and ways of monitoring the, the process of how to protect the information that we were taking home in hard drives to work on the film.
And, and now when we when we're sharing the documentary also to, to reach out to the, to the, the local production crews, the fixers and, and the journalist that that we spoke with.
The system works in a way that sadly, who's after by doing this, the journalists are once more the ones that are being put at risk because they're more vulnerable because of the place where they live in and, and the tools for security that they have at hand.
You know, so, so for us, it was very important to to make our the four journalists that we that are the main characters of the film and that we, we showed their intimacy and their everyday, everyday's lives so far.
So it's important for us especially that by doing this, we're not putting them at risk again.
[Other language spoken]
And the way I've learned from them is that anonymity is one of the biggest gateways for violence to reach you.
[Other language spoken]
So this, we hope that this is definitely something that is changing, especially specifically for them.
But there are so much, so many more journalists that that are still vulnerable from at least from that, from the level of publicity that their work or their name has.
So, yeah, I mean, it's, it's not that it's not a risky project, but for us, it's more important to talk about the risks that the journalists face, even by helping their colleagues, by sharing their story and by putting light on something that the whole society needs to know.
[Other language spoken]
And there's a powerful thought.
I think you will have to end our press conference.
And I'd like to really thank you very, very much.
Of course, ladies and gentlemen of the press, there are lots of very important things that we said.
There's one thing that struck me at Diego.
You said, if I'm not mistaken, detonate your reflection.
Films are a way to detonate your reflection.
I may steal that from you, by the way, because it's a very nice way to put it.
You said stories got more and more urgent.
Indeed, this is the case.
There's an important story that we would like to invite you to come tonight to Cinerama Spoiler.
Not going to give you a spoiler alert, but they're very, very compelling narratives of the protagonists in the film.
It's an absolutely powerful film.
So thank you very much for for joining us here.
Thank you very much to our distinguished panellists and hope to see you tonight at Cinerama Chow Chow.