Facing the possibility that three more cases of killed journalists might expire this year, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, FLIP, demanded that Colombia's Attorney General take all the necessary steps to bring the cases to justice, said the organization in a statement.
In Colombian law, the criminal responsibility for a homicide expires after 20 years. According to figures from FLIP, 62 cases of killed journalists have surpassed their statue of limitations, "which means that 44.5 percent of the crimes against the press in Colombia go unpunished," added the statement.
In 2013, two cases of killed journalists have already reached their statue of limitations. Last March, the Attorney General declared the killing of Eustorgio Colmenares Baptista a crime against humanity, which has no time limit on prosecution. This crime along with that of Guillermo Cano are the only two cases of killed journalists granted this consideration.
"The lack of justice has great impacts on freedom of expression and the free practice of journalism in Colombia. Facing a lack of progress in the courts, the only avenue still available to the victims' families and press organizations is to appear in international court," concludes the statement.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
