Colombia: CFWIJ Demands An Investigation Into The Assassination Attempt On Rebecca Linda Marlene Sprösser
Location: Colombia
Date: July 27, 2021
Journalist and activist Rebecca Linda Marlene Spöressor shared on Facebook on Friday, July 23 that she survived an assassination attempt. She confirmed that her friend stood in-between her and the attacker, taking all of the gunshots himself. Rebecca was wounded by projectiles from the fired bullets, though she remembers holding a briefcase that protected her from further injuries. Rebecca sustained scratches to her arms and chest. CFWIJ condemns the attack on the journalist and demands a swift inquiry into this assassination attempt. We demand the police to conduct a thorough search and catch the culprit behind this attack.
Rebecca explained her fears around the incident in a detailed Facebook post. She stated that she might have been dead if it wasn’t for her friend and asked people to pray for his recovery. Rebecca posted, "Right now, my friend is between life and death, and it's a great miracle that he is still alive. He keeps fighting, but his situation is very critical. I ask everyone to pray for him. Without him, I would surely be dead by now. We can't say who it was, but we are in the whole process with DDHH. It's very clear that this was not a robbery- this was an attack to kill someone in cold blood."
According to the police, a 26-year-old man was reportedly speaking to Rebecca on the night of July 22 in the Las Ceibas neighborhood in Cali. The man approached the journalist and her friend with the intent of robbery. The assailant was carrying a weapon and attacked the man with several gunshots. The police are now investigating the unfortunate incident on two charges. The First Information Report also includes charges of theft and fraud.
Rebecca arrived in Cali from Germany on March 15 and decided to take part in the National strike in Columbia on April 28. The journalist remained with protesters from day one. She helped them with humanitarian work involving food and medicines. The journalist recorded the testimonies regarding police brutality and reported these incidents to the press.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the assassination attempt on Rebecca and her friend. We continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds. We call on the authorities in Cali to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and apprehend the assailant. We extend our support to Rebecca Linda Marlene Sprösser and wish her friend a full recovery.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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