Colombia: Angie Telleź, Estefanía Maldonado and Deisy Nivia Allege Inaction by Prosecutor's Office in Response to Sexual Harassment Complaints
The journalists share their distressing experiences of persistent harassment
Location: Colombia, Bogotá
Date: January 18, 2024
The Coalition for Women in Journalism and Women Press Freedom is outraged by the distressing situation faced by journalists Angie Telleź, Estefanía Maldonado, and Deisy Nivia in Colombia. Their harrowing experiences of relentless sexual harassment, including explicit messages and videos, are utterly unacceptable. What is equally distressing is the apparent inaction of the Prosecutor's Office in response to their complaints. These brave journalists, who work tirelessly to inform the public and uphold the principles of journalism, should not have to endure such harassment and intimidation. We stand firmly with Angie Telleź, Estefanía Maldonado, and Deisy Nivia; condemn the ongoing harassment they have been subjected to; and are deeply disturbed by the authorities' failure to take appropriate action despite overwhelming evidence.
Angie Téllez, Estefanía Maldonado, Deisy Nivia, and another woman who has asked to remain anonymous — all journalists working with CityTv in Bogotá — have been targeted with relentless sexual harassment by a man sending the reporters explicit videos in direct messages on social media and through WhatsApp.
In a now-deleted tweet, the Bogotá Metropolitan Police ridiculed Téllez, the first to come forward, and accused the journalist of sharing the details for “cloud.”
Téllez has been waiting seven months for the Prosecutor's Office to process her complaint.
“In June, I made a harassment complaint. I attached various pieces of evidence and even collected testimonies from other colleagues. At no time did they ask me to further expand on the complaint,” says Téllez.
The accused — Álvaro Enrique Gutiérrez Colobón, who was acquitted in 2022 of offering sexual services to minors without resources in 2017 — goes to great lengths to avoid detection, frequently creating new accounts or changing phone numbers to continue his campaign of harassment. His use of multiple phone numbers, all under the chilling moniker "You are mine," and the presence of five identical Facebook accounts alarm the journalists and social media users who have been targeted by him.
A broken judicial system
In 2020, when Gutiérrez was standing trial for the creation and dissemination of child pornography, one of his survivors, Nirvana Camila Torres, criticized the negligence of prosecutor Roberto Quintero, who failed to include witnesses and evidence during the trial's preparatory hearing. Ultimately, in January 2021, Gutiérrez was acquitted, a decision upheld by the Superior Court of Bogotá in June 2022, due to “insufficient” evidence.
"He sent me photos of his victims, aged 6 to 17; in one, he forced a young girl to perform oral sex on him and told me that this was how he was going to do me,” says Nirvana Camila Torres, who was a minor herself when the predator harassed her in 2016.
Now, it seems that Gutiérrez is emboldened by his acquittal, intensifying and broadening his deranged, criminal, and disturbing behavior.
Estefanía Maldonado revealed that she has been targeted by Gutiérrez starting September 2022. After sharing her experience publicly, Maldonado received messages from numerous of Gutiérrez’s survivors. Deisy Nivia recalls joining the channel and sharing her number to field grievances from citizens without realizing the implications of providing her phone number. "One day, I received a video call, and upon answering it, I was confronted with a man masturbating," shares Nivia.
This is not an isolated incident. Retired military officer Alfredo Navas Alvis has been harassing presenters from Caracol Televisión Alejandra Murgas, Lucía Fernanda Yánez, and Katrina Melguizovski, as Women Press Freedom has documented. The survivors reported their complaints to the Prosecutor's Office, but the prosecutor assigned to the case failed to appear at the only hearing. Navas continued to stalk them near the channel's offices.
Despite stringent laws and continuous complaints, survivors lament the ineffectiveness of the criminal justice system. The journalists emphasized the importance of social media in receiving a swift response, highlighting the plight of women who seek help but do not receive it. The flaws within the Colombian justice system pose a significant obstacle to justice for survivors. Despite their fear, these journalists remain determined to put an end to years of injustice and harassment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Press Freedom stands firmly with Angie Téllez, Estefanía Maldonado, Deisy Nivia, and all the survivors, denouncing the ongoing harassment they have faced. We are profoundly unsettled by the authorities' inaction despite conclusive evidence. It is critical that a swift and thorough investigation is carried out, and we demand that the offender be held responsible for his deplorable actions. It is essential that justice prevails and that the voices of these brave journalists are heard.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help women career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.