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Mexican journalists’ murders to be investigated as gender crimes

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Summary of story from SF Examiner, September 2, 2011

Authorities are investigating the deaths of two women in Mexico City as gender crimes, after their bodies were found naked and bound together in a city park on Thursday (see WVoN story).

Miguel Mancera, the city’s chief prosecutor, said Mexico City law requires prosecutors to investigate such crimes involving women as gender-related.

He added that investigators would not ignore other potential motives, including possible connections to a money-exchange business owned by one of the victims or the fact that both women had been journalists.

Autopsy reports showed that Rocio Gonzalez, 48, and Marcela Yarce, 45, were strangled by a rope and later shot. Their hands were tied around their backs.

Mancera has not said whether the women were sexually assaulted.

The chairman of the press association, Gonzalo Marroquin, said in a statement: “We deeply condemn these acts and urge the authorities not to discount any hypothesis.

“We have enough experience in recent years to know not to prejudge any acts against a journalist before a thorough investigation.”

Mexico’s Human Rights Commission announced that it would launch its own investigation into the case saying: “The aggression, threats, intimidation and persecution that media workers suffer inhibit and limit free speech.”

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