Jineth Bedoya Lima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jineth Bedoya Lima
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Jineth Bedoya Lima (centre) with Michelle Obama (left) and Hillary Clinton (right) at the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards
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| Born | c. 1974 (age 50–51) Ibague, Tolima
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| Nationality | Colombian |
| Occupation | journalist |
| Organization | El Tiempo |
| Known for | reporting on paramilitary groups, 2000 and 2003 abductions |
| Awards | CJFE International Press Freedom Award (2000) Courage in Journalism Award (2001) International Women of Courage Award (2012) UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize (2020) Golden Pen of Freedom Award (2020) |
Jineth Bedoya Lima (born around 1974) is a brave journalist from Colombia. She is known for her important reporting on armed groups in her country. Sadly, she was taken against her will in May 2000 and again in August 2003. Because of her courage, she has received many important awards. These include the Courage In Journalism Award in 2001 and the Golden Pen of Freedom award in 2020.
Contents
A Dangerous Investigation: May 2000
In 2000, when Jineth Bedoya was 26, she worked for a newspaper called El Espectador in Bogotá. She was covering the conflict in Colombia, which involved different armed groups. At that time, she was investigating how weapons were being illegally traded. This involved both government officials and a far-right armed group called the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC).
The Abduction at La Modelo Prison
On May 25, Jineth went to La Modelo prison in Bogota. She had been promised an interview with a leader from the AUC group. Jineth suspected it might be a trap. So, she brought an editor and a photographer from her newspaper with her. While they were waiting to enter the prison, her colleagues were briefly separated from her. In that moment, Jineth disappeared.
Three men grabbed Jineth and forced her into a car. They drove her to a place several hours away. Jineth said the men told her they worked for a paramilitary leader named Carlos Castaño Gil.
Justice for Jineth
For over ten years, Jineth's case did not move forward with the Colombian Attorney General's office. So, she took her case to a human rights group called the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. In May 2011, a soldier from the paramilitary group was arrested. He admitted to being one of the men who attacked Jineth.
In October 2021, a special human rights court made an important decision. It found the country of Colombia responsible for Jineth's kidnapping. This was a big step towards justice for her.
Reporting on FARC: August 2003
In 2001, Jineth started working for another newspaper, El Tiempo. She was in charge of reporting on law enforcement, which included covering armed groups. In August 2003, she traveled to a town called Puerto Alvira. She wanted to report on how the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), another armed group, had taken over the town.
Kidnapped by FARC
When Jineth and her photographer arrived, the FARC leader ordered them to be kidnapped. The leader also said that no one should talk to them or give them food. However, the women of the town secretly kept bringing them food. The townspeople tried to tell the Red Cross about the kidnapping, but they couldn't. A local priest even warned Jineth that the FARC members planned to kill them.
A Community's Help
Luckily, the townspeople told a regional FARC commander about the situation. Because of their help, Jineth and the photographer were quickly set free. The commander offered to pay them back for their lost time and equipment, but Jineth and the photographer refused. When she returned, Jineth wrote a story about what life was like in FARC-controlled areas. She was careful not to mention anyone from the town who had helped her, to keep them safe.
Continuing Her Important Work
In November 2010, Jineth released her book called Vida y muerte del Mono Jojoy. This book was about a FARC leader who had recently died. In the book, she claimed that this leader had ordered someone to kill another journalist. After her book came out, a news agency linked to FARC accused her of being a spy. This caused groups like the Foundation for Press Freedom to worry about her safety.
As of November 2011, Jineth Bedoya still works as a journalist for El Tiempo. Because of the dangers she faces, the Colombian government has given her three bodyguards. They also provide her with a special bulletproof car to keep her safe.
Awards for Courage
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Jineth Bedoya has received many important awards for her brave journalism.
- In 2000, she won the CJFE International Press Freedom Award. This award is given to journalists who show great courage.
- In 2001, she received the Courage In Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation. This award was big news in Colombia. It helped her get hired by El Tiempo newspaper. Jineth later said this award helped her keep going after her first attack.
- In 2012, she was honored with the International Women of Courage Award.
- In October 2016, she was given the Anna Politkovskaya Award. She received this award in London in March 2017.
- In May 2020, Jineth Bedoya Lima won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. This is a very important award for press freedom.
- In September 2020, she also received the Golden Pen of Freedom award.
These awards show how much Jineth Bedoya's courage and work are valued around the world.
Images for kids
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Jineth Bedoya Lima and Mayerlis Angarita receiving the Anne Klein Women's Award in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Jineth Bedoya para niños
