Irresponsible Stigmatization of Journalists Covering Demonstrations Puts Reporters at Risk

FLIP rejects public figures and journalists issuing messages linking reporters, which are covering social protests, with urban militias. These generic assessments put journalists at risk, deteriorate the conditions for their work, and negatively impact the debate on issues of public interest.

On November 23, FLIP learned that Herbin Hoyos produced and published a video in which it related the press -covering the protests in Bogotá and Medellín on November 21- to organized criminal structures. In this video, while images of journalists from Colprensa and other media covering the events are shown, Hoyos says: “the roles of each of them are distributed: some are those who attack, others are those who film, some even have press vests, others sometimes use human rights vests.” 

Hours later, this message was supported by former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, who posted it on his Twitter account with the following message: “The militias and their vandalic and terrorist action. Herbin Hoyos”. This means an amplification of the message, as Uribe has nearly five million followers on that social network. The video has had more than 70,000 views and 2,500 likes.  

For FLIP, it is worrying that the mass dissemination of these messages causes a scenario of permissiveness to undermine the rights of communicators. In particular, it is emphasized that, in the Colombian context, there is already a latent risk against journalists who cover these types of actions. 

FLIP reminds former Senator Uribe and those who broadcasted these messages that, since November last year, social demonstrations have become a scenario of high risk for journalists. FLIP has documented attacks on 75 journalists, and in most cases the aggressors were members of the Law Enforcement Personnel. 

Widespread linking of the press with organized structures, can generate a criminalization of journalists who cover social protests in the collective imaginary. This has the potential to put them at a greater unjustifiable risk, constraining their independence, also leading to self-censorship. 

It is worth noting that in a recent decision, the Supreme Court of Justice, in order to guarantee the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression, ordered to end, prevent and punish the stigmatization of those who, without violence, go out to the streets to question, refute and criticize the activities of the government and attacks on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. These stigmatizing messages are in contravention of this order. 

FLIP knows that Herbin Hoyos rectified that those who appear in the video identified as a press are not part of any criminal organization. However, it is a priority for Hoyos to make the same clarification in the original video, to circulate the updated information.

In turn, we reiterate that people with a high level of public exposure, such as former President Uribe, have a duty to guarantee civil liberties. Uribe is therefore obliged to replicate the second video clarifying the absence of linking of journalists with urban militias with the same broadcast. The opposite can feed a dangerous atmosphere for democratic life.