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Colombia WHEREAS more than 100 legal actions were brought against 12 media outlets, seven reporters and two columnists by officials of the executive and judicial branches, retired military officers, and private parties WHEREAS the unprecedented proliferation of lawsuits by public officials and private parties illustrates an increasingly popular method of intimidating journalists WHEREAS outstanding lawsuits include one from the entire Council of State against Juan Manuel Santos of El Tiempo; one by the communications minister against three radio reporters of Santander; and one by the director of the Complaints Branch of the prosecutor’s office against the magazine SOHO WHEREAS Article 5 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states: “Prior censorship, restrictions on the circulation of the media or dissemination of their reports, forced publication of information, the imposition of obstacles to the free flow of news, and restrictions on the activities and movements of journalists directly contradict freedom of the press” THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to ask the Colombian judiciary to respect the framework of constitutional guarantees as they apply to journalism to ask the Colombian Office of the Attorney General, and the authorities in general, to abide by the constitutional mandate that special protection be provided for journalists to ensure their independence and freedom
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