Global Freedom of Expression

Bedoya Lima v. Colombia

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared the Colombian State responsible for the violation of the right to personal integrity, personal liberty, honor and dignity, and freedom of thought and expression of Colombian journalist, Jineth Bedoya. On May 25, 2000, the reporter visited “La Modelo” prison in Bogota, Colombia to conduct an interview, but before entering the prison she was abducted, kidnapped and taken to a warehouse where she was sexually abused and assaulted by several men. The IACtHR considered that the State violated its obligation to guarantee Bedoya’s safety because it did not implement effective protection measures for the victim, even when it was aware of the risk she faced because of the issues she covered and because she was a female journalist.

Eon v. France

Though the judgment of the majority in the present matter does expand expression on merits, the extent to which it does so could have been enlarged had the reasons offered by Judge Power-Forde’s in her partly Dissenting Opinion – on the applicant’s entitlement to more than a mere moral victory due to the anxiety suffered by him on being convicted for exercising his freedom of expression and on the need for the affirmation of the principles established in Colombani and Others v. France [ECHR] (2002) 51279/99 – formed part of the reasoning and decision put forth by the majority.