Press freedom worsens in Colombia: NGO

[Judi Lynn]

Press freedom worsens in Colombia: NGO
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 09:26 Manuela Kuehr

The annual report by NGO Reporters Without Borders indicates that the level of press freedom in Colombia has sharply deteriorated. Colombia fell by 19 places in the index to be ranked 145th out of 178 countries. Last year it came 126th out of the 175 countries evaluated.

Clothilde Le Coz, director of the NGO's Washington office, told Colombia Reports that Reporters Without Borders went to Colombia to investigate the situation and found a "very violent country" where the government has been spying on journalists.

Many high ranking officials who served under former President Alvaro Uribe are accused of complicity in the illegal wiretapping of government opponents, including prominent journalists, by government security agency DAS.

The previous government of President Alvaro Uribe, Le Coz says, often sent security guards to spy on journalists under the pretext of increasing their security. This move, she says, had "huge consequences for the reporters," and the new government should investigate this problem.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/12472-colombia-press-freedom-reporters-without-borders.html