- Title: Mexico receives fleeing Afghan media workers including from N.Y. Times
- Date: 25th August 2021
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (AUGUST 25, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DIGITAL SCREEN SHOWING FLIGHT ARRIVALS VARIOUS OF MEDIA WORKERS WALKING THROUGH THE AIRPORT REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL OF EBRARD AND MEDIA WORKERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICO'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MARCELO EBRARD, SAYING: "Yesterday we received a group of young people from the robotics team from Afghanistan. They represent a group of more than 130 people working for different media outlets, such as the New York Times and others in Afghanistan. The President has asked us to maintain a stance following the tradition of Mexico." VARIOUS OF MEDIA WORKERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEXICAN OFFICIALS AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA WORKER AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICO'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MARCELO EBRARD, SAYING: "In this case, we are talking about those who are risking their lives to inform and communicate, who are committed to freedom of expression, freedom, and independence of communication. All human lives are important, but I want to emphasize that this group that has arrived in Mexico represents many values associated with freedom of the press and freedom of information and communication." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR, INTERNATIONAL IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, MICHAEL SLACKMAN, SAYING: "We also want to thank the U.S government, which has moved swiftly to process their entry into the United States in the days ahead, especially, along with Mexico, the Qatari government, which has gone above and beyond to arrange safe transport for this group. We urge the whole international community to follow these examples and continue working on behalf of the many brave Afghan journalists who are still at risk." EBRARD AND MEDIA WORKERS SHAKING HANDS GENERAL OF MEDIA WORKERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 8th September 2021 17:23
- Keywords: Afghanistan Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard Mexico Reportes Taliban militant group
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002ERS48JR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mexico received 124 media workers and their family members from Afghanistan, including New York Times journalists, the government said on Wednesday (August 25), as people flee after the Taliban militant group's takeover.
They arrived at Mexico City's international airport early on Wednesday morning, where Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard waited to greet them.
Ebrard helped to arrange the journalists' departure from Kabul, which included a stopover in Qatar, before their eventual arrival in Mexico, according to the New York Times.
Mexico was able to "cut through the red tape" to take in the media workers, unlike the United States, the Times said.
A former Kabul and Mexico bureau chief for the Times who maintained a cordial relationship with Ebrard made the request that Mexico receive the refugees, the Times said. Other journalists from the Wall Street Journal in Afghanistan could arrive later in Mexico, the Times added.
The Mexican government touted the operation as an example of its commitment to freedom of expression, despite its past ridicule of coverage by local and international media including the New York Times.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan last week as the United States and its allies withdrew troops after two decades and the Western-backed Afghan government and military collapsed.
The Taliban follow an ultra-hardline version of Sunni Islam. When in power from 1996-2001, guided by its interpretation of Islamic law, the Taliban banned television and it censored news. It has become more media-savvy since, using social media and promising to allow a free press.
Taliban fighters, however, have raided homes of journalists' relatives and killed one family member of a reporter working for Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster said. In July, Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed in Afghanistan after getting stuck in a Taliban-controlled area.
Reuters evacuated a group of 73 people made up of its workers and their families to Pakistan from Afghanistan on Monday.
Afghanistan and Mexico are considered among the most dangerous countries for journalists. At least 141 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 2000, according to non-profit data. Journalists are often targeted for reporting on criminal gangs or corrupt officials.
On Tuesday (August 24), five members of Afghanistan's all-girls robotics team arrived in Mexico.
(Production: Josue Gonzalez, Rodolfo Pena Roja, Liamar Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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