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Alert

Prominent journalists meet with vice-president and other authorities after receiving death threats

(FLIP/IFEX) - The following is a joint statement by FLIP, the International Federation of Journalists' Solidarity Centre (Centro de Solidaridad de la Federación Internacional de Periodistas, CESOFIP), Institute for Press and Society (Instituto de Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporteros Sin Fronteras, RSF):

On 16 May 2005, journalists Carlos Lozano, Daniel Coronell and Hollman Morris each received anonymous death threats in the capital, Bogotá. All received funeral floral arrangements with a sympathy note regarding their own "deaths" and, in one case, those of family members.

Two funeral wreaths arrived in the morning at the former head office of the news programme Noticias Uno, directed by Coronell. One expressed regret about his "death", the other about those of his wife and daughter. A floral arrangement with a note saying, "from the Montoya family for the burial of Carlos Lozano" was delivered to Lozano, director of the Communist Party's weekly,"Voz", at about 4:00 p.m. (local time), at his office. The person who delivered it was caught but released, allegedly due to lack of evidence. Morris received a bouquet of white roses with a card expressing regret about his "death, allegedly from the Henao family, at his home at about 7:50 p.m. The bouquet was delivered by a tall, dark-skinned man with the accent typical of people from the Caribbean coast.

On 17 May, the president issued a press release saying the threats against the journalists "bring shame on our democracy." He added, "the Democractic Security Policy guarantees the safety of all citizens, whatever their ideology, political affiliation or beliefs may be." He also reaffirmed that public servants must help protect reporters.

On 18 May, the journalists met with the vice-president and representatives of the national police, the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General's Office, to consider what actions should be taken. Among other things, the government made a commitment to provide the three and their families with whatever protection is needed in order for them to continue their work. The Prosecutor General's Office agreed to have its human rights unit take charge of the investigation. Finally, the national police will organise a special group to assist the Prosecutor General's Office with the investigation.

So far, the police have only been able to establish that two of the three floral arrangements were bought at a flower shop in Paloquemao, a central-west neighbourhood in the capital, and ordered by a flower shop located in the south-western city of Pereira.

Coronell, Morris and Lozano told FLIP, RSF, IPYS and the IFJ Solidarity Centre that each one of them had recently been investigating the recent massacre in San José de Apartadó, department of Antioquia.

The three directors are all well known for their independent reporting on the government.

FLIP, IPYS, RSF and IFJ strongly condemn the death threats against these three highly respected journalists.

We also call upon the government to fulfil its obligation to protect these journalists and their families, and on the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate the death threats, which hinder their exercise of their profession.