The Honorable Antonio O. Garza, Jr.
U.S. Embassy in Mexico
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Col. Cuauhtemoc
06500 Mexico, D.F.

Dear Ambassador Garza,

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists calls on the Mexican government to conduct a full investigation into the killing of Bradley Roland Will, a U.S. journalist working in Mexico.

Will, a 36-year-old documentary filmmaker and reporter for the news Web site Indymedia, was shot and killed in Oaxaca, Mexico, on October 27. He had been covering the local conflict between the anti-government group Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) and armed assailants thought to be police and officials in civilian clothing.

NAHJ calls on the U.S. Government to do everything possible to ensure that a proper investigation is conducted into the killing of this independent journalist. We, along with other groups such as the Inter American Press Association and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urge our government to formally ask the Mexican government to conduct a federal investigation into Will’s shooting and prosecute his killers. We also demand that the Mexican government espouse a policy of not tolerating the targeting of journalists covering conflicts in the country.

It is imperative that U.S. journalists be protected by the U.S. government when they travel abroad to cover conflict. Their sacrifice allows the world to learn about important events occurring globally. This dissemination of information is crucial to promoting free and stable nations.

We call on the U.S. government to make certain that the government of Mexico does everything in its power to bring Will’s killers to justice.

Sincerely,

Rafael Olmeda, President, NAHJ

Iván Román, Executive Director, NAHJ