Press association demands justice for slain Colombian journalist

The Inter American Press Association (SIP) has condemned the assassination of Cristian Hernando Herrera Nariño, a journalist and board member of the Press Freedom Foundation (FLIP), who was killed on June 6 in Cúcuta, Colombia.

Herrera, 48, was attacked by assailants as he left his family's home and later died from his injuries at a medical center. The SIP has demanded that Colombian authorities carry out an independent and thorough investigation to identify and penalize both the material and intellectual perpetrators of the attack.

Herrera had a notable career in eastern Colombia, focusing on investigations into security, corruption, and organized crime. He collaborated with the newspaper La Opinión, directed the newspaper Q’Hubo in Cúcuta, and served as a communications advisor for the Citizen Security Secretariat of Norte de Santander's capital. His work had earned him multiple recognitions.

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a direct attack on press freedom and the citizens' right to be informed

According to press reports and data from the Ombudsman's Office, Herrera had previously received threats due to the nature of his work. In 2017, he survived an attack while covering a high-risk area, which forced him to leave the country temporarily. At the time of his death, he had protection measures in place from the National Protection Unit (UNP).

SIP President Pierre Manigault called the murder a "direct attack on press freedom and the citizens' right to be informed," urging the Colombian state to act with utmost diligence. Martha Ramos, president of SIP's Committee on Press Freedom and Information, emphasized the urgency of combating the lethal violence that continues to threaten journalistic work in the region. This crime follows a series of violent incidents against the press in Colombia, including the recent murder of journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda in Antioquia.

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urgency of combating the lethal violence that continues to threaten journalistic work in the region