This is a translation of an article was originally published at flip.org.co on 3 May 2020.
In response to Semana magazine’s revelation that the Army has been carrying out a digital surveillance programme, we, the journalists who have been profiled by military intelligence, with support from the Foundation for Press Freedom, express our condemnation of these actions. The majority of the military’s targets were journalists, both local and international, as well as politicians, generals and individuals from non-government organisations and trade unions – at least 130 victims in total.
Beyond our condemnation, however, we demand answers to some questions because, despite the information available, we are unable to fully comprehend the extent of these illegal actions ordered by a security force that, rather than persecuting and stigmatising us, has an obligation to provide guarantees for our work as journalists:
- Who gave the order for military intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance and profile journalists and media outlets? These actions constitute a direct attack on guarantees for the free exercise of journalism in Colombia.
- One of the purposes of military intelligence is to protect human rights and prevent and combat internal and external threats that compromise national security. Are we, the journalist and media outlets that were targeted with state surveillance, a threat to national security? What criteria were used to justify these actions against the media, applying measures that are meant to combat crime?
- Who were the recipients and/or who had access to the files containing the profiles and surveillance information obtained on journalists, politicians and human rights defenders?
- What knowledge or information does President Iván Duque, the Minister of Defence or other high level officials possess regarding these illegal surveillance activities? What actions will they take to guarantee that journalists can carry out their work without being targeted by profiling, surveillance and stigmatisation?
According to the Semana magazine investigation, military intelligence operatives carried out an illegal monitoring programme. As such, we demand that the illegally collected information be handed over to the individuals who came under surveillance and were subjected to profiling.
Today, on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day, we demand to hear from President Duque’s government and we remind the president of the obligations the Colombian government has to provide guarantees for press freedom and the free exercise of journalism, which constitute pillars of a democratic society.
Signatories
Journalists who have been targeted with military profiling:
Juan Forero, The Wall Street Journal
Nicholas Casey, The New York Times correspondent
Yolanda Ruiz Ceballos, RCN Radio and El Espectador columnist
María Alejandra Villamizar, Caracol Radio and Caracol TV
Daniel Coronell, Univisión
Ignacio Gómez, Noticias Uno
Dayana Rodríguez Bernal, Colombian National Radio
Rutas del Conflicto (Conflict Routes) Team: Óscar Parra, Lidha Beltrán Valero, Luisa María Rincón Guzmán, Paula Andrea Hernández Vargas, María del Pilar Puentes Espinosa, David Leonardo Riaño Valencia, Silvia Natalia Corredor Rodríguez, María Jimena Neira Niño, Alvaro Andrés Avendaño Alba, Juan Pablo Gómez Peña, Carol Lizeth Sánchez Fonnegra, Nicole Acuña Cepeda, Juana Teresa Callejas, Fernanda Barbosa dos Santos, Germán Alejandro Ballesteros Coral, Santiago Luque Pérez, Ricardo Sánchez Gómez, Richard Stiven Romero Trochez, Daniela Aguirre
John Otis, NPR and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) correspondent
Stephen Ferry, independent
Camilo Poveda, Blu Radio
Andrés Cardona Cruz, photojournalist, Florencia
Federico Ríos, photojournalist
Nicolás Bedoya, photojournalist
Christian Escobar Mora, photojournalist
Karem Racines, independent journalist who writes for La Liga Contra el Silencio (League Against Silence)
Ginna Morelo, La Liga Contra el Silencio
Foundation for Press Freedom (Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa, FLIP)
This petition is supported by:
Jineth Bedoya Lima, UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2020 and El Tiempo deputy editor
Cecilia Orozco, Noticias Uno
Jaime Abello Banfi, Fundación Gabo director
José Manuel Acevedo, Noticias RCN
Juanita León, La Silla Vacía (The Empty Seat) director
Maria Teresa Ronderos, CPJ board of directors
Camilo Acosta, La Liga Contra el Silencio
Camilo Sánchez, La Liga Contra el Silencio
José Díaz, La Liga Contra el Silencio
Sara Castillejo, La Liga Contra el Silencio
Jeanneth Valdivieso, La Liga Contra el Silencio
Fidel Cano, El Espectador director
Gustavo Gómez, Caracol Radio
Diana Calderón, Caracol Radio
Érika Fontalvo, El Heraldo director
Diana Durán, El Espectador
Néstor Morales, Blu Radio
Camila Zuluaga, Blu Radio and Noticias Caracol
Damián Esteban Landínez Cañón, Blu Radio
Mabel Lara, Noticias Uno
Darío Fernando Patiño, journalist
Rodrigo Uprimny, El Espectador columnist
José Guarnizo, independent journalist
Ernesto Cortés, El Tiempo general editor
Juan Roberto Vargas, Noticias Caracol director
Alberto Medina, Noticias Caracol deputy director
Fernando Ramírez, Noticias de La Patria editor
Camilo Vallejo, La Patria columnist
Omar Rincón, TV critic, El Tiempo
Esperanza Rico L., RCN Radio Information System director
Francisco Leal Mateus, journalist and independent lawyer
Jairo Ernesto Tarazona, RCN Radio journalist
Dora Montero, Noticias RCN journalist and Consejo de Redacción (CdR) president
Sinar Alvarado, The New York Times columnist
Nathan Jaccard, Latam OCCRP editor
Claudia Julieta Duque, Radio Nizkor
Carlos Eduardo Huertas, Connectas director
Patricia Gomez, RCN
Juan David Laverde, Noticias Caracol journalist
Juan Diego Restrepo E., Verdad Abierta
Bibiana Ramírez, Verdad Abierta
Olga Behar, independent journalist
Carmen Rosa Pabón, journalist, Arauca
Sara Trejos, Presunto Podcast
Maru Lombardo, Presunto Podcast
Santiago Rivas, Presunto Podcast
Javier Osuna, Fahrenheit 451 director
Lorenzo Morales, La Liga Contra el Silencio and Cerosetenta contributor
Óscar Durán, Jorge Tadeo Lozano University’s CrossmediaLab
Juan Camilo Maldonado, Mutante
Elizabeth Otálvaro, Mutante
Natalia Ospina, Mutante
María Claudia Dávila, Mutante
Luisa Rengifo, Mutante
Laura Cruz, Mutante
Juliana Castellanos, Politécnico Grancolombiano University Institution, Journalistic Investigation Unit director
Alejandro Gómez Dugand, Cerosetenta
Natalia Arenas, Cerosetenta
Tania Tapia, Cerosetenta
Manuela Saldarriaga, Cerosetenta
María Fernanda Fitzgerald, Cerosetenta
Sebastián Payán, Cerosetenta
Natalia Botero Duque, photojournalist
Betty Martínez, Diario del Norte and TuuPutchika, La Guajira
Jorge Cárdenas, journalist, Villavicencio
Adriana Villegas, La Patria columnist
Alejandro Samper Arango, La Patria columnist
Martín Franco Vélez, La Patria columnist
Fabio Posada, independent journalist
Julián Martínez, independent journalist
Cesar Molinares, independent journalist
Catalina Loboguerrero, independent journalist
Camilo Jiménez Santofimio, independent journalist
Óscar Sánchez, independent journalist
Carlos Chica, Canal Capital ombudsperson
Mauricio Beltrán, Fedemedios director
Claudia Marcela Mejía, independent journalist
María Paulina Baena, La Pulla
Patricia Nieto, University of Antioquia Hacemos Memoria (Making Memories) project journalist
Karim Ganem Maloof, El Malpensante
Maryluz Vallejo, Directo Bogotá
Belén Pardo, Vokaribe Radio
Ivan Mercado, Vokaribe Radio
Patricia Rendón, Vokaribe Radio
Walter Hernández, Vokaribe Radio
Alfredo González, Vokaribe Radio
Octavio González, Vokaribe Radio
Actualidad Panamericana editorial team
PACIFISTA!
La Cola de Rata
Carolina Guerrero, Radio Ambulante
Daniel Alarcón, Radio Ambulante
David Trujillo, Radio Ambulante
Camila Segura, Radio Ambulante
Laura Rojas Aponte, Radio Ambulante
Constanza Bruno, independent journalist
Fernanda Pineda, photojournalist
Natalia Guerrero Ulloa, independent journalist
Santiago Wills, independent journalist
Andrea Aldana, El Poder en Semana TV journalist / Fundación Paz y Reconciliación Colombia (Colombian Peace and Reconciliation Foundation) investigator
Paula Thomas, Reojo Colectivo
Charlie Cordero, Reojo Colectivo
Santiago Mesa, Reojo Colectivo
Andrés Buitrago, Reojo Colectivo
Gerald Bermúdez, freelance journalist and photojournalist
Andrés Páramo, independent journalist
Diego Alarcón, independent journalist
Laila Abu Shihab Vergara, independent journalist
Carlos Cortés Castillo, La Mesa de Centro
MaryLuz Avendaño, independent journalist
César Rojas Ángel, independent journalist
Gloria Castrillón, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Natalia Herrera, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Laura Dulce Romero, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Beatriz Valdes, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Nicolás Sánchez, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Sebastián Forero, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Carolina Ávila, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Edinson Bolaños, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Valentina Parada, Colombia 2020, El Espectador
Ramiro Bejarano Guzmán, El Espectador columnist
Alexánder Marín, El Espectador, Bogotá section editor
Sergio Silva, El Espectador
Alejandra Bonilla Mora, El Espectador
David Tarazona, Cuestión Pública
Diana Salinas, Cuestión Pública
Claudia Báez, Cuestión Pública
Mariana Escobar Roldán, independent journalist
Natalia Arbeláez, La Silla Vacía
Laura Ardila, La Silla Vacía
Blanca Berrío, Zenú Radio journalist
Angélica Cuevas, independent journalist
Tatiana Pardo, independent journalist
Andrés Bermúdez, independent journalist
Alejandro Pino, Publimetro editorial director
German Calvo, Cuarto de Hora
Cindy Morales, journalist
Rafael Quintero, El Tiempo data editor
Julio César Guzmán, El Tiempo editor
Carlos Solano, El Tiempo multimedia journalism school director
Juan David López, El Tiempo journalist
Ricardo Galán, Libreta de Apuntes director
José Marulanda, Unicauca Estéreo journalist
José Gabriel Celis, Rotonda Deportiva
Felipe Restrepo Pombo, writer, editor and journalist
Sandra Castro, Red de Medios Alternativos y Populares (Alternative and Popular Media Network)
Jorge Luis Galeano Bolaños, Hechoencali.com director
Laura Sofía Mejía, Baudó Agencia Pública (Baudó Public Agency) director and cofounder
Victor Hugo Soto Galeano, Baudó Agencia Pública photojournalist and cofounder
Angie Salazar Marmolejo, Baudó Agencia Pública external and digital communications
Mateo Medina Abad, University of Javieriana social communications student
University of Rosario Journalism and Public Opinion Programme
Beatriz Elena Marín Ochoa, Asociación Colombiana de Investigadores en Comunicación (Colombian Association of Communications Researchers, Acicom) president
FLIP Correspondents Network: Javier Jules (Bogotá), Sonia Godoy (Cauca), Orlado Cetina (Huila and Amazonas), Luis Oñate (Magdalena), Germán Arenas (Putumayo), Carmen Rosa Pabón (Arauca), Jorge Cárdenas (Meta), Betty Martínez (La Guajira), César Pizarro (San Andrés), Ángel Romero (Norte de Santander), Ricardo Cipagauta (Boyacá), Juan Pablo Sánchez (Caquetá), Ana María Saavedra (Valle del Cauca), Máryuri Trujillo (Tolima), Yeison Rojas (Urabá Antioqueño), Félix Quintero (Santander)
Miguel Orlando Alguero, La Patria
Blanca Eugenia Giraldo, La Patria
Julián Guerrero, Cartel Urbano magazine
Alejandro Villegas Oyola, RCN Radio
Angélica Latorre Coronado, independent journalist
Diego Delgado, Documental Amarillo coordinator
Carol Valencia, Consejo de Redacción (CdR)
Diana Carolina Ampudia Castillo, Red+ Noticias
Santiago Restrepo, aeronautics engineer and independent researcher
Priyanka Arias, SOS Mamá (Encuentroradio.co)
Valeria Murcia, El Colombiano
Luis Carlos Vélez, journalist
Luz María Tobón Vallejo, El Mundo newspaper
Luis Carlos Gómez, Colprensa general editor
José Luis Peñarredonda, independent journalist
Paula Pinzón, independent journalist
David Pereañez, independent journalist
María Isabel Moreno, independent journalist
Edison Henao, independent journalist
Miren Vitore Magyaroff, Publimetro
Jénnifer Mejía, independent journalist
Valentina Arango, independent journalist
Laura Castrillón, independent journalist
Gonzalo Guillén, La Nueva Prensa
Diana López Zuleta, La Nueva Prensa
Julián F. Martínez, La Nueva Prensa
Daniel Mendoza Leal, La Nueva Prensa
Juan Trujillo, La Nueva Prensa
Jorge A. Sánchez Vargas, independent journalist
Wílver Raíllo Pitalúa, Ciudad Global radio programme director
Jamie Paola López Albarracín, final semester student in University of Rosario Journalism and Public Opinion Programme
Fátima Martínez, University of Rosario Journalism Programme professor and director of the faculty’s digital media site PlazaCapital.co
Red Colombiana de Periodismo Universitario (Colombian University Journalism Network) and its member media outlets: Datéate al minuto, Tinta Negra (Uniminuto Bogotá), Unimedios (University of Santiago de Cali), Un Pretexto (University of Boyacá), Norte Urbano (Uniminuto Bello), Ciudad Vaga (University of Valle), En Primera Persona (Catholic University of Pereira), Periódico 15 (Bucaramanga Autonomous University), Entre Nos, El Anzuelo Medios (University of Ibagué), Contexto (Bolivarian Pontifical University – Medellín), De la Urbe (University of Antioquia), Sextante (Luis Amigó Catholic University), Unisabana Medios (University of La Sabana), Bitácora, Nexos (EAFIT University), Página, UniDiario, La UM Central (University of Manizales), Unicomedio, Unicomfacauca Radio (Unicomfacauca), CrossmediaLab (Jorge Tadeo Lozano University – Bogotá), Conexión Lasallista (Lasallian University), Ágora, Miradas y Voces (University of Pamplona), Plataforma, Estación V (Bolivarian Pontifical University – Bucaramanga), Technological University of Pereira Technological
International journalists:
Mónica González, independent journalist, Chile
Peter Limbourg, Deutsche Welle director general
Carsten von Nahmen, Deutsche Welle Academy director
Rodrigo Villarzú, Deutsche Welle Latin America Academy director
Fabiola Gutiérrez, La Pública, Bolivia
Marcela Turati, independent journalist, Mexico
Miguel Dimayuga, Proceso magazine photojournalist, Mexico
Lise Josefsen Hermann, freelance journalist, Ecuador and Denmark
Raul Romero, photojournalist, Venezuela
Nicola Frioli, photographer, Italy
Sara Aliaga T., photojournalist, Bolivia
Román Camacho, photojournalist, Venezuela
Desirée Esquivel, Ciencia del Sur journalist, Paraguay
Isabela Ponce, GK, Ecuador
Luz Mely Reyes, Efecto Cocuyo director, Venezuela
Fabiola Torres, Salud con Lupa, Peru
Thelma Gómez, independent journalist, Mexico
Francesco Manetto, El País, Spain
Catalina Oquendo, El País, Spain
Santiago Torrado, El País, Spain
Pere Ortín, journalist and documentary filmmaker, Altair Magazine director, Spain
Paulette Desormeaux, independent journalist, Chile
Diego Salazar, independent journalist, Peru
Periodistas Sin Cadenas journalists collective, Ecuador
La Barra Espaciadora, Ecuador
Martha Pskowski, Latin America News Dispatch editor, headquartered in New York
Liza López, Historias Que Laten director, Venezuela
Jonathan Gutiérrez, Historias Que Laten editor, Venezuela
María Fernanda Rodríguez, El Pitazo and IPYS Venezuela correspondent
Rafael Sulbarán, independent journalist, Venezuela
Asociación de Prensa Internacional en Colombia (International Press Association of Colombia, APIC)
The post Why are we under surveillance? Questions for President Iván Duque’s government and the Colombian Army appeared first on IFEX.
Source: MEDIA FEED
