MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities have detained a police officer and a judge for jailing a journalist allegedly without evidence and in retaliation for his reporting.
Pedro Canche was held from August 2014 until May 2015 in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo on accusations of “sabotage in prejudice of society.”
He had published stories critical of authorities in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puente, and prosecutors say the arrest warrant came “as a retaliation for his journalistic activity.”
The federal prosecutor’s office announced the arrests Thursday. It said neither the officer nor the judge had “any evidence whatsoever” to support prosecution.
Canche called the arrests a step in the right direction. He said it’s an example of things working correctly at a special prosecutor’s office focusing on crimes against freedom of expression.