According to the Union of Journalists of Tlaxcala (UPET), on the morning of Sunday, 16 April, the body of 36-year-old LGBTI rights defender and former television reporter, Juan José Roldán, was found dead on a dirt road in the municipality of San Rafael.

The body of Juan was discovered by emergency services who attended the scene following a 911 phone call and showed signs of torture.

The death of Juan comes at a time of heightened danger for journalists working on sensitive issues in Mexico.

According to some media reports, Juan received abusive messages and harassment via Facebook threatening his life.

Police took Juan’s body to the Forensic Medical Service (Semefo) for further tests where an autopsy will determine the exact cause(s) of his death.

Relatives of the journalist identified the body, while the State Attorney General’s Office (PGJE) has begun an investigation to establish the reasons for the young man’s death.