Death threats against Colombian journalists have increased over the past six months, according to the Inter American Press Association report.
While noting that in the past six months there were no cases of journalist murders in Colombia, the report found that “major attacks on freedom of expression are being presented as death threats against journalists in Colombia.”
The report on freedom of expression in Latin America was presented in California during a three day conference.
Death threats are a “worrying phenomenon because they have been growing again in recent months, according to reports from the various agencies that deal with the issue,” the paper said, citing reports from numerous journalism associations.
Also of high concern is “the lack of action by the prosecutor in the investigation of these events which has led to an absolute impunity that will undoubtedly become the main factor for the increasing threats,” signalled the report.
The report listed details of death threats or attacks on 20 Colombian journalists in recent months.
In February, journalists and human rights organizations had received death threats in an email sent by paramilitary group “Aguilas Negras”. The email read, “It’s time to kill and annihilate all the people and organizations that pose as human rights defenders.”
