The present government's Policy on the Promotion, Respect and Guarantee of Human Rights and the Application of International Humanitarian Law has given the highest priority to the protection of human rights defenders, the promotion of justice and the fight against impunity regarding serious human rights violations. Furthermore, the Policy committed the government to the establishment of mechanisms, in accord with the various social groups, for the promotion and protection of the fundamental rights of particularly vulnerable groups, including journalists.

The threats against the life and the murder of social communicators and journalists add to those committed against many other vulnerable groups, and aggravate the human rights situation in Colombia. Because of the nature of their job, journalists have become victims of the armed conflict, and for this reason the Colombian government must provide them with special protection. In many cases they become human rights defenders, when they take up the spreading, defense, protection and restoration of human rights and international humanitarian law through their professional activities. A number of them have suffered attacks and some have been forced to leave the country through threats. Because of their implications as regards freedom of expression, human rights abuses against journalists and social communicators represent enormous costs to democracy, have far-reaching social repercussions, and make the situation of the country even more critical.

As part of the implementation of the policy, the government launched a Program for the Protection of Journalists and Social Communicators, through Decree 1592 of August 18, 2000. In this way, the government carried out recommendations from inter-governmental human rights bodies. The Program's mechanisms have been agreed, both in their conception and execution, with journalists organizations and associations, and security measures have been adopted to protect journalists in conflict zones and dangerous missions, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.
The Program is intended for journalists who take up the spreading, defense, protection and restoration of human rights and international humanitarian law through their professional activities, and who, for this reason, find themselves in a situation of risk to their lives, security or freedom due to causes relating to the political or ideological violence, or to the armed conflict prevailing in the country.

Responsibility for the Special Protection Program was assigned to the Office of the General Director of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior. The Risk Regulations and Assessment Committee, made up of the Vice Minister of the Interior or his/her deputy, who presides over it, the General Director of the Human Rights Office of the Ministry of the Interior, and a representative from the Administrative Department of Security, DAS, is in charge of supervising the Program and evaluating each individual case. Other members of the Committee, who are special guests with a right to speak and vote, include a representative from the Vice President's Office and a representative from the National Police, and three representatives from journalists associations appointed by the Ministry of the Interior. The latter are permanent guests with a right to speak and vote.

The Program was formally introduced in October, and was provided with initial funds amounting to four hundred million pesos. The Program's activities are aimed at covering costs relating to protection, relocations and humanitarian aid; promoting self-protection measures; strengthening a journalists and social communicators network; carrying out educational campaigns regarding the role of journalists in the conflict to prevent their being identified as part of it; and producing booklets about self-protection. The risk assessment committee was set up to take charge of every aspect concerning the provision of protection to journalists who request it. Thirty-five journalists have applied for protection from the Program. Their cases are under study for risk assessment.

Moreover, the Colombian state's determination to solve criminal cases and fight against impunity is demonstrated by the creation of a special section for investigations relating to journalists, in the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor General's Office. The special section is currently conducting 28 cases of violations of the fundamental rights of journalists and social communicators, including 24 cases of homicide, three cases of threats and one of kidnapping. Proceedings relating to 21 of these cases are at the preliminary stage, two are in a pre-trial hearing stage, and three have reached the trial stage. One not guilty and one guilty verdict were returned in the remaining proceedings. In its task, the Prosecutor General's Office receives support from the National Government through the Office of the Vice President's Presidential Program for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, that provides logistic assistance and has set up a small emergency aid fund supported through international cooperation. The work of the Vice President's Office is part of the inter-institutional effort that is being made in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, the Office of the People's Advocate and the Prosecutor General's Office.