Attempt made on the life of journalist Manuel Vicente Pena Gomez
On 20 October 1996, Manuel Vicente Pena Gomez, a journalist for the popular daily “La Prensa de Bogota”, was the target of several gunmen. Pena was driving in his car when another automobile pulled up and opened fire with automatic weapons. Since he was driving an armoured car, however, Pena did not sustain any injuries. […]
Journalist Norvey Diaz killed
On 18 October 1996, Norvey Diaz, director of the program “Rondando por los barrios” on Radio Colina, was killed in Girardot, a resort town 135 km from Bogota. Diaz had left home to attend a meeting. He was last seen alive in a street in the company of a young woman. His body was found […]
Five journalists shot at while covering demonstration
During the 29 August 1996 attack on several journalists who were covering a demonstration by coca cultivators in the Caqueta department of Colombia, soldiers fired on five Colombian journalists, all of whom were clearly identified as journalists by brightly coloured flak jackets marked with the names of their news organisations. The journalists fired upon are: […]
Censorship measures taken against television news programs
The Colombian government has instituted an official censorship decree aimed at television news programs in the country. The National Television Committee (CNT) ordered the programs to abstain from transmitting non-official information that “aggravates public order.” The CNT took this step on 23 August 1996 in response to news programs which aired coverage of clashes between […]
Several journalists harassed while covering demonstrations
On 29 August 1996, Luis Gonzalo Velez, a cameraman for the television news program “Colombia 12:30”, which broadcasts on the public channel Cadena 1, was assaulted by several soldiers as he was covering confrontations between the soldiers and coca producers in Caqueta department, in southern Colombia. According to footage broadcast the same day, Velez was […]
Journalist and cameraman briefly detained; death threats issued against them
On 22 August 1996, journalist Amparo Jimenez and cameraman Jose Coronado, who work for the television station QAP Noticias, were detained by police and, shortly after, were targets of death threats by a paramilitary group. The two men, correspondents in the city of Valledupar, capital of Cesar department, had just finished covering the occupation of […]
Anti-corruption legislation threatens press freedom
**See also IFEX CH press release dated 5 June 1995** The CPJ is deeply concerned about the impact on Colombia’s press freedom by an anti-corruption law passed by the Senate on 30 May 1995. The Anti-corruption statute is worrisome because one of its articles, No. 34, would prevent journalists from reporting on investigations and legal […]
President responds to CPJ on threats and attacks against Colombian journalists; further action required
**Updates IFEX CH alert dated 11 April 1995** On 11 April 1995 CPJ sent a protest letter to Colombian President Ernesto Samper expressing concern over recent threats and attacks against Colombian journalists in the cities of Cali and Valledupar, Colombia. According to Colombian reporters, national correspondents reporting on recent anti-drug sweeps in Cali have been […]