Practice journalism in Colombia and Latinamerica is a hazardous activity. The journalists, as well as the campaigners for human rights, the trade unionists, the displaced persons among others, were all groups that the armed conflicts traditionally affect.

Therefore, the State has as a duty to give a special protection to them. Despite this constitutional guarantee the situation of the Colombian journalists remains at risk: Colombia is the country in Latin America with the major number of murders of journalists for work-related reasons in the last 30 years.

The attacks come from various sectors, in different regions of the country, but all with a common goal: hush up journalists so to prevent the citizens to their fundamental right to be informed.

That’s why is very important that every single reporter knows very well what kind of risks they face when exercising their work, which are the possible reasons, which laws are protecting them and, above all, which protection measures can be taken to avoid or minimize the consequences.

This manual itself does not prevent against all the threats or attacks to journalists in the country, but seeks to be a practical tool to identify risk situations for journalists, to know when their right to inform is being violated and to give recommendations on protection in any risk situation during the journalistic coverage.

• Manual de Autoprotección - pdf