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Alert

Radio journalists from indigenous community jailed for eight days

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 26 September 2006, journalists Griseldino Yafue Guetoto and Rubiel Lis Velasco, of Radio Uxwall Nasa Yugue Stéreo radio station, were released from Lara Bonilla penitentiary, in the city of Santander de Quilichao, southwestern Colombia.

The journalists had been detained by orders of the locality's First Sectional Prosecutor's Office, accused of rebellion and, specifically, of collaborating with guerrilla groups. According to the authorities of the indigenous community of Caldono, the settlement from which the journalists were taken by the police, they will sue the prosecutor and police authorities for imprisoning them and accusing them without any evidence.

Caldono's leaders stated that on 19 September, eight individuals who identified themselves as communications ministry officials arrived at the radio station asking questions about its legal status. They used that as a pretext to take the journalists to Caldono's police station. Then they took them to the municipality of Liberia, from there to Popayán and, eventually, to Santander de Quilichao, where the journalists were informed they would be detained on charges by the prosecutor.

Yafue and Lis broadcast information about the indigenous community in their programmes.

Santander de Quilichao's police station commander, Mayor William Herrera, told IPYS that he did not know whether the agents had lied to the journalists in order to remove them from the indigenous community and arrest them. Herrera stated that the police agents were only following orders from the prosecutor's office.