JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 23, 2024
Join our WhatsApp channel
BOGOTA—Colombian authorities must thoroughly investigate the death threat received by journalist Edward Alvarez, ensure his safety, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
Alvarez, a reporter for the independent online news outlet La Chiva de Uraba in the northern city of Apartado, received a death threat via WhatsApp on May 12, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ.
The sender identified themselves as "Commander Lucas" of the powerful drug-trafficking group The Gaitanista Self Defense Forces of Colombia — called the Gulf Clan by Colombia’s government — and declared Alvarez a "military objective" for publishing a story about one of the group's imprisoned members, according to CPJ's review of the message. "Commander Lucas" warned that if Álvarez continued reporting, his family would also be at risk.
On May 10, La Chiva de Uraba published Alvarez's video interview with an Apartado woman in which she alleged that her jailed former partner was trying to extort her by spreading intimate photos of her on social media.
"Colombian authorities must immediately investigate the death threat received by journalist Edward Alvarez and ensure he can return to Apartado and continue his reporting safely," said Cristina Zahar, CPJ's Latin American program coordinator, in Sao Paulo. "True democracies must guarantee press freedom for all citizens."
Alvarez told CPJ that he reported the threat to the local police and the Attorney General’s office on May 13 and then fled Apartado. "I am very scared," he told CPJ, adding that he did not know when he would return.
The Gaitanista Self Defense Forces of Colombia denied that any of its members threatened Alvarez in a May 12 statement, reviewed by CPJ, and said they were being impersonated, according to those news reports.
The Bogota-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) documented four incidents of journalists who received threats from the drug-trafficking group.
CPJ's text messages to the press office of the Attorney General’s office in Bogota did not receive an immediate reply. Major Miguel Gutierrez, chief of the investigative police in the Uraba region that includes Apartado, told CPJ that his agents are investigating and do not yet know who threatened Alvarez. - A CPJ Media Release/Photo: Courtesy of Edward Alvarez
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.