Ricardo Gangeme
Ricardo Gangeme | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 24, 1943 Argentina |
| Died | May 13, 1999 Trelew, Chubut, Argentina |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound to head |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Occupation(s) | Editor and Founder |
| Years active | Since 1957 |
| Employer | El Informador Chubutense |
| Known for | His newspaper articles that were controversial |
| Children | Pablo Gangeme |
Ricardo Gangeme (August 24, 1943 – May 13, 1999), was an Argentine journalist, editor and founder of the newspaper El Informador Chubutense in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who was known for writing articles exposing corruption of political leaders and entrepreneurs until his killing in Trelew, Chubut Province, Argentina.[1][2]
Personal
Ricardo Gangeme started his journalism career at a young age.[2][3] He had a son named Pablo Gangeme [4]
Career
In 1957, at the age of 14, Gangeme started working at the Buenos Aires weekly magazine Que. He spent 16 years with the tabloid Crónica. Between the years 1976 and 1992, he directed Radio Argentina. In 1992, Gangeme moved to Trelew where he was the editor for the daily La Jornada until 1998. Toward the end of that year, Gangeme founded the weekly El Informador Chubutense in Trelew. This newspaper was known for reveling intimate details about local authorities and businessmen in attempt to uncover the corruption.[2][3]
Death
The motive for the murder may have been influenced by Gangeme's recent publication about the corruption of high authority locals and business men. Gangeme reported threats to the police a few days before the murder occurred. Businessman Hector Fernández, owner of Corralon Fernández, was suspected of attempting to run Gangeme over with his car prior to his murder and also threatening him based on reported business transactions with the Trelew Electric Company, but Fernández publicly denied that accusation in news reports. Gangeme was known to have many enemies due to his risky publications and the exposure in his magazine of high government and business officials.[2][3][5]
The three suspects, Osvaldo Daniel Viti, Gustavo Fabian Smith, and Alejandro Zabala, were tried in court for the murder of Gangeme, but they were all acquitted in 2002 by the Criminal Court of Northwest Chubut. During the trial it was discovered that the gun and fingerprints did not match the suspects'. The case has become an unsolved murder.[2][6][7]
Context
A few years previous to Gangeme's death, one of the most important legal developments was occurring in Argentina. The law that needed reformed was the criminal defamation law. If this law was successful in its reform, Argentina would have one of the best legal frameworks for press freedom in Latin America.[6]
The Argentine Supreme Court decided to add "actual malice" to their neutral reporting standards. This means that plaintiffs must prove the published information is false and that the journalist knew it was false at the time of publication. In 1986 it was decided that plaintiffs may not sue a journalist for accurately producing information about a public figure. This provides significant protection to Argentine journalist. It play a major role in rival against journalist. In 1997, the President at the time, Carlos Menem said that citizen's had a right to give the press a beating. Two years after this statement, Gangeme was shot dead.[9]
Impact
Gangeme oftentimes walked a fine line between walked controversy and sensationalism in his publications. His exposure of businessmen, companies and other government officials significantly impacted the entire Argentine journalist community.[4]
The murder of Gangeme is important because he is one of the most recent cases of a journalist killed not only in his country but also in the world. Gangeme pursued his right to freedom of speech no matter what. The number of threats and violence toward journalists never stopped Gangeme from publishing against one of the biggest companies in his country, Trelew Electric Cooperative in Chubut. He published concerns about their business and financial interactions with the government. Gangeme reveling the company's secrets essentially aided in the Argentine government's economics.[9]
Reactions
The Organization of American States issued a report stating that investigative journalism was mostly likely the motive behind the killing of Gangeme.[10]
The
The organization known as the Argentine Federation of Press Workers condemned the murder of its colleague, while journalists from "El Informador Chubutense" asked for and obtained police protection.[12]
Gangeme's son believes it is more than clear what happened, and there were even witnesses of irregularities.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Americas: Journalist murdered in Argentina". BBC News.
- ^ a b c d e f Canal 13 (May 14, 1999). "Argentina: Prominent Journalist Assassinated". Associated Press.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d "Ricardo Gangeme". Committee to Protect Journalists. May 13, 1999. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Caso Gangeme: dicen que hubo 50 mil dólares para asesinarlo". diariojornada.com.ar.
- ^ a b "Journalist killed, others to be tried". 14 May 1999.
- ^ a b c "Absuelven a los acusados de asesinar a Gangeme". La Nación. lanacion.com.ar.
- ^ a b "Ricardo Gangeme". Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa/Inter America Press Agency.
- ^ "Proyecto Impunidad - Ricardo Gangeme".
- ^ a b "El asesinato de Gangeme: Diez años de impunidad". rionegro.com.ar.
- ^ "Report of the Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression". Organization of American States. April 13, 2000.
- ^ "Editor and Publisher Ricardo Gangeme Murdered". Committee to Protect Journalists. 14 May 1999.
- ^ "Ricardo Gangeme - Periodistas en Español". 24 November 2014.
External links
- The Journalists Memorial for Ricardo Gangeme Ricardo Gangeme's memorial