Aggression from health secretary of Córdoba affects press and journalist's rights

In the early morning of saturday July, 2nd, Shelly Camacho and Andrés López, journalists working for La Lengua Caribe, were assaulted by secretary Parejo. The events occurred in the town of San Pelayo, while the reporters were covering the fortieth Festival Nacional del porro.

Around 6 a.m, the journalists were recording the moment when singer Peter Manjarrés was expelled from the stage at the instance of the other musicians. When the reporters were filming the scene, the official calls them and tried to confiscate the camera.

Immediately, Shelly Camacho asked for the respect of his right to cover the events and the secretary José Jaime Parejo slapped her twice. La Lengua Caribe wrote a note to denounce the facts and where stands : « This type of situation is unacceptable and even more when it comes from officials which should act as guarantors of our rights ».

The FLIP rejects aggressions suffered by the journalists from La Lengua Caribe and reminds to José Jaime Perejo the dispositions settled by the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights : « The acts of violence against journalists or people working in media and linked with their professional activity violate the right of these people to express and deliver ideas, opinions and informations ».

On the other hand, stands out that the physical attack on journalist Camacho corresponds to what the law 1257 of 2008 describe as a harm against women. It turns to be a serious violation against the principle of shared responsibility in the protection for women, since the State and its officials are the first called to prevent and punish damages against women.

The FLIP asks the Fiscalía General de la Nación and the Procuraduría General to engage an investigation about what happened in the morning of last saturday, in order to condemn the official.

Video report Noticias Uno :http://https://youtu.be/r1anVxPiOvs