“Judicial harassment continues to consolidate as a tool to silence the press. In the last two months, [Foundation for Press Freedom in Colombia] has registered 14 cases of judicial harassment towards media and journalists that investigate topics of high public interest such as pedophilia within the Catholic Church, the health system, the activities of senators and the monitoring of hiring in public entities.
In the last week, FLIP learned of three cases of journalists who have been summoned to conciliation hearings before the Attorney General's Office for complaints against them that have been filed by important public figures in the country. These cases reflect a common pattern: journalists, for the same events, have faced other judicial processes of a different nature, such as tutela actions or civil lawsuits. Thus, it can be understood that there is systematic pressure about publications that wears down journalists and the justice system itself."
