MEXICO CITY: A Mexican journalist kidnapped nearly two weeks ago in central Zacatecas state has been released by his captors and taken to hospital, a Reporters Without Borders spokeswoman told AFP Wednesday.

Few details were available about the July 29 kidnapping of Ulises Gonzalez Garcia of the La Opinion weekly. "His family doesn`t want to talk about it at present," said Balbina Flores of Reporters Without Borders.

Garcia`s kidnapping followed that of four other journalists on July 26 in northern Durango state. Two of those journalists were released days later by their captors and the two others were rescued in a bloodless police raid in Durango state capital.

The kidnappings triggered massive demonstrations Saturday in the Mexican capital and other main cities against hostage-taking and other drug-related violence.

The Inter-American Press Association lists Mexico as the Latin America`s most dangerous country for journalists, with nine murdered so far this year.

Around 25,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since 2006, when President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown on violence across the country; some 7,000 people have been murdered since the start of the year.

BDST: 1028 HRS, August 12, 2010