Reporters without Borders (RSF) reports that it has received a copy of a new set of threats against journalists and human rights activists in Colombia from the Black Eagles paramilitary group, which for the last five years has engaged in acts of violence and intimidation against the press.
According to RSF, the message came via email from “fenixaguilasnegras” (fenix black eagles) and called five journalists “military targets:” Claudia Julieta Duque, Daniel Coronell, Marcos Perales Mendoza, and Hollman Morris – a group that had been previously threatened in February.
The Colombian Federation of Journalists (Fecolper), whose president was among those threatened, said that another paramilitary group, Los Urabeños, sent a threatening phone call to Enlace Televisión reporter Mónica Arcella, who is based in Barrancabermeja, Santander (near a recent attack against a TV crew).
The Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Journalists (FEPALC) demanded progress from the Colombian government in the investigations into the February threats.
The new threats from the Black Eagles took place several days after Juan Lozano and threatened journalist Morris’ documentary “Impunity” - which is about paramilitary violence in Colombia - was screened at the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva.
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.
