Freedom of Expression
Press release R268/22
The Office of the Special
Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression condemns the murder of journalist Wilder
Alfredo Córdoba and urges the State of Colombia to redouble its efforts to
prevent violence against the press
December 2, 2022
Washington, D.C. - The
Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (SRFOE) of the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder of
journalist Wilder Alfredo Córdoba in La Unión, department of Nariño; and urges
the Colombian authorities to investigate the facts promptly and in a complete,
effective and impartial manner, taking into consideration the journalistic work
as a possible motive for the crime.
According to the
information available, on November 28, journalist and social leader Wilder
Alfredo Córdoba, 35 years old, was the victim of an armed attack by unknown
subjects, who shot him at least three times while he was riding his motorcycle
in a rural area of the town of La Unión. According to the information received,
Wilder Alfredo Córdoba was recognized locally for his coverage of insecurity
and issues related to the municipal administration through the La Unión TV
channel, which he directed, and his personal Facebook profile. The Colombian
Attorney General's Office reported that they had learned of the death of the
journalist and social leader, and that the "Special Investigation Unit has
assigned a team of prosecutors and investigators to carry out urgent actions
and clarify the facts". Likewise, the Secretary of Government of the
Governor's Office of the Department of Nariño condemned the facts and urged the
authorities to "expedite the investigative tasks to find, in a timely
manner, the perpetrators of this event". On the other hand, the Municipal
Mayor's Office of La Unión offered a financial reward in exchange for
information that could lead to the identification of the persons responsible
for the murder.
The case of Wilder
Alfredo Córdoba is the fourth murder reported by this Office so far in 2022.
Previously, the Special Rapporteurship pronounced itself on the crime of
journalists Leiner Enrique Montero, Dilia Contreras and Rafael Emiro Moreno
Garavito. This Office notes that all the murders reported this year are located
in territories far from the capital, where the impact that these events have on
freedom of expression and press freedom is greater because they significantly
affect the livelihood of local and community journalism, and therefore the
possibilities of society to receive information and stay informed on matters of
public interest.
The State has
indicated that it is committed to respecting freedom of expression, freedom of
the press and access to public information. In this regard, it reported that it
is strengthening the mechanisms for the prevention and protection of
journalists, in coordination with civil society organizations. In this regard,
it indicated that the Ministry of the Interior is working on an emergency plan
consisting of six axes, with short and medium term lines of action.
Additionally, the State reported that between January and October 2022, the
National Protection Unit (UNP) has protected 164 journalists.
The Rapporteurship
recalls that, according to international human rights standards, States have
the duty to effectively investigate crimes against journalists, prosecute and
punish the perpetrators. In this regard, the Inter-American Court has
highlighted the importance of the obligation of due diligence of the
authorities in criminal investigations of murders of journalists, since an
investigation that does not consider aspects related to the context in which
they occurred, the professional activity of the reporter and patterns of
violence against journalists will have less chance of achieving results. On
this point, moreover, the Office of the Special Rapporteur has maintained that
the practice of not exhausting the line of investigation related to the
journalistic profession not only hinders the pursuit of justice, but is also a
factor in the impunity of crimes against the press.
In view of the
foregoing considerations, this Office reiterates its call to the Colombian
State to redouble its efforts to prevent violence against journalists. It also
recalls that this obligation is accentuated in situations or areas where there
is or has been detected a special risk for journalists working in the media. As
highlighted in the report "Zonas silenciadas: regiones de alta
peligrosidad para ejercer la libertad de expresión" (Silenced zones:
regions of high danger for the exercise of freedom of expression), on many
occasions the phenomenon of violence against journalists is accentuated in
border or transit zones, in departments in the interior of the country and in
rural areas or areas far from large urban centers. In order to prevent the
consolidation of silenced areas and to confront those that already exist, it is
necessary that the States commit themselves to the creation of a favorable
environment for the exercise of freedom of expression, which can only be
achieved if there is a comprehensive policy of protection, prevention and
justice.
The Office of the
Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression is an office created by the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to encourage the hemispheric
defense of the right to freedom of thought and expression, considering its
fundamental role in the consolidation and development of the democratic system.
R268/22