Among the most severe attacks against Claudia Julieta Duque between 2015 and 2016, the following are worthy of note:
Tracking and surveillance
- 16 June 2015: the armoured car of journalist and human rights defender Claudia Julieta Duque was blocked in by a motorcycle and taxi near the Bogota Specialist Penal Tribunals. The motorcycle’s driver fled when he realised that Duque was accompanied by PBI.[1]
- 16 July 2015: monitoring and tracking of journalist and HRD Claudia Julieta Duque’s armored car by a motorcycle and taxi near the Specialized Penal Courts of Bogota.[2]
- 22 July 2015: intimidating phone calls to Claudia Julieta Duque’s parents, appearing to be made from her daughter’s cell phone number. At the time her daughter was on an international flight to Colombia, without roaming service or the possibility of using her Colombian cellular phone. The calls took place while the journalist was in Bogotá, in the preparatory hearing for the trial against former DAS officials Enrique Ariza Rivas, Giancarlo Auqué de Silvestri and José Miguel Narváez, all indicted for aggravated torture against her.[3]
- 23 July 2015: tracking and surveillance of Claudia Julieta Duque’s daughter by a man taking photos from a car parked near her home.[4]
- 25-29 July 2015: attempted forced entry into Claudia Julieta Duque’s home, while she was travelling.[5]
- 4 August 2015: tracking, surveillance and harassment, by a man identified by the Police as Julio César Ramírez Gómez, against Claudia Julieta Duque while the journalist was interviewing Magistrate Patricia Rodríguez Torres of the Superior Tribunal of Bogota.[6]
- 18 October 2015: the monitoring and surveillance of the mother of a journalist and human rights defender, Claudia Julieta Duque, was followed through a supermarket while she was doing her shopping. Claudia Julieta Duque reported these incidents in communication with the director of the National Protection Unit (UNP), Diego Fernando Mora on 29 November 2015.
- 30 October 2015: the surveillance of a journalist and human rights defender, Claudia Julieta Duque, by a man on a motorbike who followed her from the centre of Bogotá until the neighbourhood of Corferias. The incident was also reported in a tweet she wrote that day. Claudia Julieta Duque reported these incidents in communication with the director of the National Protection Unit (UNP), Diego Fernando Mora on 29 November 2015.
- 3o November 2015: Surveillance of a journalist and human rights defender, Claudia Julieta Duque, by a blue motorcycle that followed her from the moment she left her house (East Bogotá) until she arrived at the Teusaquillo neighborhood. The license plate number of the motorcycle was OIP 72D.The man riding the motorcycle had a blue jacket and helmet. On the same afternoon, in the north of Bogotá, a motorcycle with the license plate NTK04D also followed Claudia. Claudia Julieta Duque reported these incidents in communication with the director of the National Protection Unit (UNP), Diego Fernando Mora on 29 November 2015.
- 17 November 2015: the surveillance of the journalist and human rights defender, Claudia Julieta Duque, and her daughter. The incidents happened on two different occasions. When the two left their house a motorcycle with the license plate PXS33C followed them. On the same day her daughter witnessed two taxis prowling the area where she conducts her judicial consultancy. The licence plates of the taxis were VEM603 and VDR736.Claudia Julieta Duque reported these incidents in communication with the director of the National Protection Unit (UNP), Diego Fernando Mora on 29 November 2015.
- 18 November 2015: the surveillance of the daughter of journalist and human rights defender, Claudia Julieta Duque. She was watched by a dark-skinned man, about 50 years old, with dark eyes and dark hair, medium build, who had a diary in his hands. The man followed her from her house to the area where she conducts her judicial consultancy. Claudia Julieta Duque reported these incidents in communication with the director of the National Protection Unit (UNP), Diego Fernando Mora on 29 November 2015.
- 20 September 2016: Photographic surveillance and video recording of journalist and human rights defender Claudia Julieta Duque, by members of the National Police, who had not informed her that they would be monitoring her.[7]
Footnotes:
[1] Equipo Nizkor: En medio de intimidaciones dará inicio el juicio oral en el caso de Claudia Julieta Duque, 19 June 2015
[2] Equipo Nizkor: Comunicado a tenor del inicio del juicio oral en el caso de Claudia Julieta Duque, 19 July 2015
[3] Equipo Nizkor: Con nuevos ataques y hostigamientos intentan frenar batalla de Claudia Julieta Duque por obtener justicia en su causa contra el DAS, 10 August 2015
[4] Ibíd.
[5] Ibíd.
[6] Equipo Nizkor: Ibíd.
[7] Front Line Defenders: Vigilancia e Intimidación Policial Contra Claudia Julieta Duque, 27 September2016