> The state of press freedom in Colombia : January - June 2007

July 2007

Beyond any numbers, when it comes to press freedom three events must be made to stand out from the last six months: the constant aggressions by the Public Forces and private citizens against journalists during demonstrations or public acts; the threats against the journalists that cover the paramilitary’s legal hearings, and the confessions of having murdered journalists made by demobilized members of these armed groups.

Sixty seven violations of press freedom were reported during this period, of which around 124 journalists and media outlets were victims. Threats were the most frequent violation, adding a total of 36 in different regions of the country, constituting more than 50 percent of the recorded total.

The risk factors that generated the threats during this period continue to be the coverage of the armed conflict and of administrative corruption. It is also important to emphasize the coverage of drug trafficking related issues as a cause of threats in the city of Cali.

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> The state of press freedom in Colombia in 2005: Less information and more threats

January 2006

Inhibited by the fear of threats or attacks, many journalists in Colombia have opted to not report on matters that are sensitive for illegal interest groups. Subjects such as corruption, drug trafficking and the actions of illegal armed groups have left the regional informative agenda, or are only touched upon in asides. Self censorship is the predominant characteristic of journalism in Colombia and due to this the information market is reduced in various regions of the country.

Those who try to approach these themes are threatened or otherwise subtly silenced. Due to calls and messages that are never reported to the authorities, journalists abandon investigations that are important for the democratic control of the regions.

The majority of the 64 threats registered in 2005 (39 were registered in 2004) originated in journalistic pieces related to corruption or paramilitarism. Their fundamental objective was to silence the journalist, causing their exit from the area as well as to intimidate their colleagues.

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> Journalists ask for protection in order to cover the justice and peace process

June 2007

The journalists who cover the hearings of demobilized combatients of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) in Medellín, capital of the department of Antioquia, work in fear. More and more often, their work is being observed and documented for unknown purposes. They also receive messages and threatening answers during the interviews that they carry out outside the city’s administrative center where the proceedings are taking place. As well as giving rise to self-censorship among the journalists, this spiral of fear and lack of trust has started to silence the AUC victims, who had renounced their anonymity in order to demand truth and reparation.

The author of this report is the FLIPYS Alliance. Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP - Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa, in spanish) and Press and Society Institute (IPYS - Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, in spanish).

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> 1992 - 2006: Report about impunity following the investigation of press freedom violations in Colombia

May 2007

Lost years and very little progress. This is how the results of the legal investigations into press freedom violations in Colombia, especially those related to the murder of journalists, could be summarized. Far from generating precedents about the importance of protecting the fundamental right to information and opinion in Colombia, the numbers show a discouraging prospect.

Of a registry of 98 cases of journalists’ homicides in the period being discussed, 22 are still in a preliminary or investigative stage, while six were suspended due to procedural errors or precluded for lack of evidence; two investigations which were initiated in 1999 are pending sentence since 2002; six rulings acquitted the accused and three guilty sentences were passed: two for the material authors of the crimes and just one for the mastermind behind them. In 61% of the cases, the authorities provided no information about the proceedings.

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Journalism in Buenaventura

September 2007

FLIP visited Buenaventura, after registering a high index of violence against the journalists and civilians. FLIP also visited the city of Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca department, self-censorship and fear taint the practice of journalism.

According to FLIP's analysis, Valle del Cauca is the department with the second highest rate of press freedom violations. From 2003 to mid-2007, 50 violations were documented; 35 journalists were threatened, 5 of whom fled into exile; and 3 journalists were killed.

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