Freedom of Expression

PRESS RELEASE R67/09

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Advisory Opinion OC-5/85, IACtHR

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PRESS RELEASE

 

 

 

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR THE MURDER OF JOURNALIST IN COLOMBIA

 

 

Washington D.C., September 25, 2009- The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expresses its concern for the murder of journalist and cameraman Diego Rojas Velásquez, which took place on the afternoon of September 22, 2009, in Supía, a locality in the Caldas Department, Colombia.

 

According to the information received, Rojas was working in the community TV station Supía when he received a telephone call related with the coverage of news in the Municipality of Caramanta, Antioquia Department. The information also indicates that the journalist left the TV station around 6:30 pm local time, and a few blocks from the station, he was intercepted by a group of unidentified persons, who shot him four times, causing his immediate death. According to the information received, the local authorities said they did not know any threats against the community journalist.

 

The Special Rapporteurship urges the Colombian State to investigate the crime, judge and adequately punish those responsible, and pay reparations to his relatives.

 

In this regard, the Rapporteurship recalls that Principle 9 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression states that the "murder, kidnapping, intimidation of and/or threats against social communicators, as well as the material destruction of communications media, violates the fundamental rights of individuals and strongly restricts freedom of expression. It is the duty of the state to prevent and investigate such occurrences, to punish their perpetrators and to ensure that victims receive due compensation".