Seven charged with torture of Colombian NUJ journalist

[Judi Lynn]

Thursday, March 14 2013 Print | Send
Seven charged with torture of Colombian NUJ journalist

Seven former officers of Colombia's security services each face up to 20 years in prison for the aggravated ‘psychological torture’ and physical intimidation of journalist and NUJ honorary member Claudia Julieta Duque.

Five of the officers are currently in detention and two are fugitives.

The country's human rights prosecutor ordered the arrests after concluding that a group of former officials, members of the now disbanded DAS intelligence services, had been responsible for subjecting the award-winning journalist to years of illegal monitoring, surveillance, interception of emails, threats and harassment.

It is the first time that a charge of ‘psychological torture’ has been considered in Colombia and is the culmination of years of campaigning by Claudia Julieta and human rights activists all over the world.

More:
http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2843

[Judi Lynn]

1. IFJ Welcomes Indictment of Former Security Operatives over Journalist's Torture in Colombia

15 March 2013
IFJ Welcomes Indictment of Former Security Operatives over Journalist's Torture in Colombia

Seven former members of the former secret service in Colombia, the Administrative Department for Security (DAS), face charges of ‘ psychological torture and intimidation' inflicted on prominent journalist Claudia Julieta Duque, the office of the national human rights prosecutor announced on 10 March.

They include a former deputy director general of the service, three former heads of intelligence, a former head of counterintelligence, a former chief of operations and a former chief of the technological intelligence. Five are currently in detention while two are fugitives.

"We welcome the prosecutor's action which is long overdue," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "This is an opportunity to ensure accountability for those who broke the law and caused terrible hardship to our colleague. However, we must also unravel the entire chain and identify who ordered these unlawful activities."

The prosecutor has ordered the arrest of the men, accusing them of subjecting the journalist and her family to years of harassment, including illegal surveillance, communications interception and threats. In charging them, he stressed that the "systematic abuse was designed to morally and psychologically undermine a human rights defender and a journalist who was critical of the former government."

More:
http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-welcomes-indictment-of-security-operatives-over-journalist-s-torture-in-colombia