A new law in Sonora, Mexico, criminalizes sharing or publishing images of violent crime victims. But after pushback, the governor says the law will be modified.
Changes to the state penal code in Sonora now make it a crime to share, publish or leak videos, photos and other information about victims of criminal investigations. Those who do so risk up to 10 years in prison and a hundreds of dollars in fines.
Known as Ingrid’s Law, the measure was first implemented in Mexico City after public outcry over graphic images of 25-year-old femicide victim Ingrid Escamilla that were leaked by officials and published by several new outlets. The law is meant to protect victims, particularly women, children and people with disabilities, from being publicly revictimized.
However, some worry that, as written, the law could hamper crime reporting in Mexico, where the vast majority of cases remain unsolved, and risks criminalizing activists and searching groups, which often publish images to help families identify missing loved ones.
In response, Gov. Alfonso Durazo says the Sonoran law will be modified again to focus solely on public officials.