The acquittal of journalist Jason Sang is a triumph for freedom of press

The Foundation for Press Freedom (FLiP) welcomes this decision as judicial harrasment and the use of criminal proceeding to silence journalists have become the main censorship strategy in Colombia. It must also be remembered that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared that criminal proceedings against journalists, because of their opinions and what they are mediatizing about issues of public interest, is a form of indirect censorship.

The High Court of Ibagué finally recognized that the work of Sang concerned an issue of public interest ; observed that his notes showed truthful and verified informations and ; recognized that the journalist had, at no time, acted with the malicious intention of harming the foundation but published his work with the only will of broadcasting the information and offering a critical position. After 5 years of trial, justice recognized that the information published do not harm at the foundation which was already questioned but instead represent a democratic breakhrough.

Having supported Sang's defense during the trial, the FLiP considers that this decision is a victory for press freedom in Colombia. Furthermore, she considers that it is a position that must create a precedent and become a reference frame for the treatment of other similar criminal cases. It is necessary that freedom of press standards are taken into account in the cases of prosecutions for insult or defamation offenses so often cited against the media.

Other cases of judicial harrasment.

In his role of documentation, the FLiP registered various criminal proceedings against journalists for their stance or their publications. Among the most recent emerge the following :

– Trial against Esteban Mejía in Medellín, for investigations published in the magazine Semana.

– Trial against Nahún Sánchez in the municipality of Ocaña, for a column published in various medias of the region.

– Trial against Salud Hernández-Mora in Bogotá, for a column published in El Tiempo.

– Trial against Diana López Zuleta in Valledupar, for a note published in the magazine Semana.

– Trial against Alfonso Luna in Santander de Quilichao, for a note published in the newspaper Proclama del Cauca.

– Trial against Freddy Bonilla and Manuel Salazar in Subachoque, for a radio statement to the station Minuto de Dios.

– Trial against Héctor Abad Faciolince in Medellín, for a column published in the newspaper El Espectador.

– Trial against Emerson Castaño in Armenia, for various columns published in La Crónica del Quindío.

– Trial against Santiago Cañon in Soacha, for a column published in the newspaper Noticias Día a Día.

FLIP has also registered with concern others criminal proceedings against journalists of El Nuevo Día of Ibagué, the exact newspaper in which Jason Sang published his notes in 2010. In all these cases, and in others which are not mentioned, FLIP hopes that are taken into account the national and international standards protecting the right to inform and to express.