(FLIP/IFEX) – On 17 June 2004, a number of journalists reporting on a protest march near the Barrancabermeja city hall, in northeastern Colombia, were assaulted. The incident occurred during confrontations between the Workers’ Labour Union (Unión Sindical Obrera, USO) and the National Police Anti-Riot Squad (Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios, ESMAD). Journalist Luz Dary Inés Mora, of […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – On 17 June 2004, a number of journalists reporting on a protest march near the Barrancabermeja city hall, in northeastern Colombia, were assaulted. The incident occurred during confrontations between the Workers’ Labour Union (Unión Sindical Obrera, USO) and the National Police Anti-Riot Squad (Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios, ESMAD).
Journalist Luz Dary Inés Mora, of the local television station Enlace TV, suffered the most serious injuries when she was hit with a rock. Two of her teeth were broken, she suffered cuts to her face, and her cheekbone and nose were fractured. She remains in hospital under obeservation.
ESMAD officers reportedly assaulted Wilson Lozano, a correspondent for Canal Caracol station, John León, a camera operator for the local station Channel 3, and Ricardo Mejía, a camera operator for Enlace TV. Lozano was held in a police armoured vehicle for some time, but he was released after his camera operator, Reinaldo Patiño, intervened.
In an 18 June press release, the Barrancabermeja Journalists’ Association (Asociación de Periodistas de Barrancabermeja, APB) said some of the journalists were attacked by police officers dressed in civilian clothes. FLIP tried to contact the Barrancabermeja police chief, Colonel Jorge William Gil, but he could not be reached for comment.
Barrancabermeja Ombudsman Jorge Enrique Gómez said his office would launch an investigation into the National Police’s conduct during the protest.
FLIP calls on the authorities to ensure that those responsible are punished.
