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Alert

"Medios Para la Paz" journalists declared "military targets" for third time

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 15 September 2006, the journalists' group "Medios Para la Paz" ("Media for Peace") and 28 NGOs received an e-mail in which they were informed that as of 22 September they would be considered "military targets by the Corporación Democrática Colombia Libre (Democratic Corporation Free Colombia) because of the work they do to inform the public. The nature and aims of the latter organization are unknown.

This is the third death threat that "Medios Para la Paz" has received in the last four months, all of them of the same nature. The first was sent on 7 June by the Autodefensas Colombia Libre Mesa Nacional Unificada de Mando Bloques Sur, Caribe, Llanos, Centro, Capital, Oriente, Nueva Generación, Pacífico. The second arrived on 4 August, signed by the Frente Democrático Colombia Libre. Both of them also carried the warning that they would be considered military targets. The precise nature of these organizations is also unknown [although "Autodefensas" is the term commonly used by Colombian paramilitary groups to refer to themselves].

The case is being investigated by prosecutor Ademis Vásquez Ramírez of Branch 245 of the Individual Freedom and Other Guarantees Unit. The country's vice-president, Francisco Santos, stated publicly that the progress of official investigations will be made known soon.