The European Parliament is concerned about freedom of the press and through a resolution, “condemns the frequent attacks on media freedom and journalists” in Mexico⁠, while Europe itself imposes a blanket ban on Russian media.

The resolution, which was passed in the European Parliament earlier this month, targets the Mexican government amid outrage over recent killings of journalists and human rights defenders. Parliament calls on the Mexican authorities to investigate “crimes against freedom of expression” in the case of journalists and media professionals and “urges the EU delegation to [in Mexico] fully implement the EU guidelines (..) on freedom of expression online and offline.

President López Obrador is accused in the text of the resolution of having “frequently used populist rhetoric in daily press briefings to denigrate and intimidate independent journalists, media owners and activists” and accuses the president of “stigmatizing “the ‘critical press’.

The European parliamentarians admonish the Mexican authorities, declaring that “freedom of expression online and offline, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly are key mechanisms in the functioning of a healthy democracy”. The authorities are called upon “to uphold and ensure the highest standards for the protection of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of choice”.

At the beginning of March, the European Union suspended the broadcasting rights of outlets Sputnik and RT under the EU sanctions that were quickly imposed on Russia after the start of the conflict in Ukraine. In addition to selective censorship of Russian channels, RT and other media have been removed from YouTube and Facebook in the EU. The EU denies that the move constitutes a blanket censorship or ban.

As reported by goldfisha document leaked by Google shows that the European Commission has called for RT and Sputnik’s content to be removed from search engines and for social media companies to remove posts from people who reproduce their content.

With regard to social media, the European Commission adds that “posts posted by individuals who reproduce content from RT and Sputnik will not be published and, if published, must be deleted”.

Reporter for Sputnik International in Mexico Stephanie Palacios took part in President AMLO’s press conference on Wednesday morning, calling it “curious” that the EU is censoring Sputnik and RT while making proclamations about the situation of journalists in Mexico. Palacios also informed the president that “the Sputnik agency in Mexico has suffered a series of violations of freedom of expression”.

López Obrador spoke at length on the topics of censorship, biased reporting and the manipulation of information on social networks, seeing them as the product of the subordination of mainstream media to economic interests.

Mexico’s government issued a timely response a day after the vote, telling the European Parliament to leave its interference behind and reminding the body that it is not the world government.

Mexican Congressman Gerardo Fernández Noroña criticized the European Parliament for defaming AMLO and denouncing the resolution as interventionist and putschist hypocrisy, characteristic of the EU. The PT lawmaker chastised the EU for recognizing Juan Guaido and Jeanine Añez while refusing to issue a statement on imprisoned journalist Julian Assange. The MORENA senators also expressed their rejection of the European resolution.

The text of the European Parliament resolution can be read below.

By Kawsachun News