(IPYS/IFEX) – On 25 July 2006, journalists Dagoberto Parra and Judith Valderrama, as well as photographer Carlos Galviz, all of the daily newspaper “Diario Los Andes”, were harassed by agents of the Intelligence and Prevention Services Department (Dirección de los Servicios de Inteligencia y Prevención, DISIP), as they attempted to cover security operations being conducted […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 25 July 2006, journalists Dagoberto Parra and Judith Valderrama, as well as photographer Carlos Galviz, all of the daily newspaper “Diario Los Andes”, were harassed by agents of the Intelligence and Prevention Services Department (Dirección de los Servicios de Inteligencia y Prevención, DISIP), as they attempted to cover security operations being conducted in Táchira state, which borders Colombia.
Upon realizing that Galviz had taken a photograph of the operation, DISIP agents detained the journalists’ vehicle and demanded that they surrender the camera. Valderrama was struck and insulted by an official who unsuccessfully attempted to pull her from the vehicle in order to seize the camera.
An official, apparently of a higher rank although dressed in civilian clothing, intervened to halt the assault and apologized to the journalists. The journalists filed a complaint with the Public Defender’s Office and the regional prosecutor’s office.
