Tag Archives: interview

“The right to freedom of expression is the most essential right in a democracy” Father Javier Giraldo

At the end of last year, in the context of Christmas celebrations, PBI-Colombia met with Father Javier Giraldo, a recognized human rights defender and political and spiritual advisor to the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó.[1] During a coffee break in La Holandita, brigadistas from the PBI team in Urabá took advantage of Father Javier’s visit to talk about Constitutional Court ruling T-342/[2]020 that directly pertains to the Peace Community and, indirectly, to the defense of human rights throughout the country.

Continue reading “The right to freedom of expression is the most essential right in a democracy” Father Javier Giraldo

“We need guarantees for our lives and to carry out our work”: Franklin Castañeda

On 8 October, ex-president and current senator for the Centro Democrático party, Álvaro Uribe Vélez was questioned by the Supreme Court of Justice about alleged witness manipulation and bribery in relation to declarations against him for possible ties to paramilitary groups. Continue reading “We need guarantees for our lives and to carry out our work”: Franklin Castañeda

“Freedom of expression is a utopia to which I aspire”: Claudia Julieta Duque

Claudia Julieta Duque is a journalist and human rights defender who PBI has been accompanying since 2010. In her 26 years as a journalist she has published high-impact reports on human rights violations in different national and international media. Because of her publications and reports, Claudia Julieta Duque has been the victim of numerous attacks aimed at silencing her, including kidnap, espionage, aggravated psychological torture and death threats against her and her daughter, in particular for her investigation into the killings of journalist and comedian Jaime Garzón[1]. Continue reading “Freedom of expression is a utopia to which I aspire”: Claudia Julieta Duque

“What the peace community lived through in those first months was terrible”

During the 20th anniversary of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, PBI spoke with Father Javier Giraldo, a Jesuit priest with a conviction to support the rural communities that have been forgotten in the midst of the violence of the internal armed conflict. Father Giraldo has walked side by side with the Peace Community since its creation on Palm Sunday in 1997.

Continue reading “What the peace community lived through in those first months was terrible”