Community radio journalist killed in Colombia

April 13, 2010

from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas:

Mauricio Medina, founder of a community radio station for the Pijao indigenous people, was stabbed more than 20 times at his home Sunday in Ortega, Tolima (central Colombia), Reuters reports (Spanish). See a story in English by Colombia Reports.

The radio station CRIT 98.0 belongs to the Pijaos' community association.

Police called the killing of Medina, 50, a "crime of passion." He had never reported getting threats, said Eulises Tique, legal representative of radio CRIT, as quoted by La Hoja.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that police had made a hasty conclusion, explaining that a killing is often labelled a crime of passion to avoid investigating links to a journalist's work.