Justice system orders Colombian Presidency to remove posts featuring bodies of those killed
A Bogotá court has issued a precautionary measure requiring the Colombian government and the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre) to temporarily remove from their official social media accounts a series of photographs showing the bodies of alleged members of armed groups, who were neutralized during recent military operations.
The judicial order, issued by the Fourteenth Labor Circuit Court of Bogotá, responds to a guardianship action (tutela) filed by House Representative Santiago Osorio. The legislator argued that the dissemination of this graphic material could violate fundamental rights, with special emphasis on the protection of children and adolescents exposed to violent content.
Details of the questioned operations
The court order specifically focuses on content shared on September 2nd and 4th through the official Instagram account of the Presidency. These posts documented two operational deployments:
- Operation Azarías: Carried out in Miraflores, Guaviare, where bags containing at least 23 bodies of alleged FARC dissidents were displayed.
- Operation Sentinel of the Homeland: Executed in Riohacha, La Guajira, against the Conquistador Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada, where the body of alias Bendito Menor was shown.
The State and the Government cannot allow themselves to be carried away by a competition to see who can be more cruel. They cannot dispute with armed groups who produces more fear, who humiliates the adversary more, or who turns death into a demonstration of power.
Iris Marín, Ombudsman
The Ombudsman’s Office, led by Iris Marín, has been one of the most critical voices regarding this practice, urging the Executive branch to avoid dynamics that equate State actions with the intimidation tactics of outlaw groups.
Next steps in the legal process
It is important to highlight that this decision is of a preventive nature while the merits of the matter are being analyzed. The court has granted a two-day period for the Presidency and the president to present their defense arguments. Likewise, the legal process has involved entities such as Meta Platforms, the Communications Regulation Commission, the ICT Ministry, and the Colombian Family Welfare Institute to determine if the material infringes regulations regarding explicit content on digital platforms.
