Colombia is the deadliest country for journalists in Latin America after Mexico, according to an infographic released Tuesday by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
While Mexico tops the list of the most dangerous country with 80 journalists killed since 2000, Colombia comes in second with 56 killed in the last 14 years.
RSF describes the numbers as “disturbing because none of these countries is officially at war, despite the continued presence of paramilitaries in Colombia.”
MORE: Threats of violence continue to cast shadow over Colombia’s press freedom
Narrowing in on four keys points since 2000, RSF notes that at the beginning of former President Alvaro Uribe term “both paramilitaries and the government target[ed] the media.” It goes on to say that journalists preactice self-censorship for their own personal safety.
The report also mentions the DAS wiretapping scandal which broke in 2009 that revealed spying operations against journalists, among other targets, orchestrated by the Colombian government.
FACT SHEET: DAS wiretapping scandal
Colombia’s Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) tracks all of the violations against the press in the country. For 2014, they report 114 violations committed against 145 victims, most from the areas surrounding the big cities Bogota, Medellin and Cali.
The most common violation is threats, with 58 reported victims. Some 48 journalists were obstructed from their work, while 31 were victims of aggression.
MORE: Threats against muckraking Colombia journalist escalate: press freedom body
Sources
- Infographic: The deadliest countries for journalists in the Americas (RSF)
- Cifras e indicadores 2014 (FLIP)