Colombia
2010
Colombian government tells CPJ it ‘rejects’ illegal spying
Shortly after arriving in Bogotá to launch Attacks on the Press, I realized the Colombian government was well aware of our concerns about illegal espionage against the media. Top government officials, including President Alvaro Uribe Vélez, had confirmed meetings with a delegation from CPJ and the local press freedom group Foundation for Freedom of the…
In the Americas, Big Brother is watching reporters
By Carlos Lauría The topic being investigated by two Colombian reporters was explosive enough that it required unusual security. Fearful that the subjects would learn prematurely of the story, the reporters took separate notes, which they did not share and which they later destroyed. They didn’t communicate by telephone or e-mail, and they met only…
Attacks on the Press 2009: Colombia
Top Developments • Provincial journalists face threats from all sides in civil conflict. • Convictions gained in one journalist murder; progress reported in other cases. Key Statistic 2003: Year that national intelligence agents began spying on journalists and other critics. The strained relationship between the government and the Bogotá-based independent press worsened after news media…