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9/1/24, 12:58 T-372-23 Corte Constitucional de Colombia (http://www.histats.com/viewstats/?sid=1206326&ccid=605) SENTENCIA. Esta decisión se dicta en el trámite de revisión del fallo proferido por la Sala de Decisión Constitucional del Tribunal Superior de Distrito Judicial de Cali el 17 de noviembre de 2021, que confirmó la sentencia emitida por el Juzgado Tercero Penal para Adolescentes con funciones de conocimiento de Cali el 29 de julio de 2021. Dichas providencias fueron profe‐ ridas dentro de la acción de tutela instaurada por Ana Bejarano Ricaurte y Emmanuel Vargas Penagos –en calidad de codirectores del El Veinte–, Carolina Botero Cabrera –en calidad de directora ejecutiva de la Fundación Karisma–, Julio Gaitán Bohórquez –en calidad de direc‐ tor del Centro de Internet y Sociedad de la Universidad del Rosario– y Jonathan Carl Bock – en calidad de director ejecutivo de la Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa– contra el Minis‐ terio de Defensa Nacional, el Ejército Nacional, la Policía Nacional, el Ministerio de Tecno‐ logías de la Información y Comunicaciones y la Agencia Nacional del Espectro. Cuestión previa La ponencia de esta sentencia le correspondió, en primer lugar, al magistrado José Fernando Reyes Cuartas. Sin embargo, el proyecto presentado ante la Sala no obtuvo la mayoría de los votos requeridos para su aprobación. Por esa razón, el expediente fue rotado a la magistrada [1] Natalia Ángel Cabo para que elaborara la nueva ponencia . I. ANTECEDENTES [2] 1. El 13 de mayo de 2021, Ana Bejarano Ricaurte y miembros de la sociedad civil pre‐ sentaron acción de tutela contra el Ministerio de Defensa Nacional y otras entidades del [3] Estado , por la presunta vulneración de sus derechos a la libertad de expresión, de asocia‐ ción y de reunión. https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/Relatoria/2023/T-372-23.htm 3/77

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Bejarano v. Ministry of Defense

Case Law

Country

Colombia

Country Location

Latitude: 3.0016069525797207

Longitude: -73.96890197152884

Country Location (Lié Case Law): Colombia

Decision Date: 20 sept. 2023

Case Status: Affaire Résolue

Case Outcome (Procedural)

Admissible

Case Outcome (Disposition)

Administrative Measures/Administrative Sanctions that restrict FoE
Law or Action Overturned or Deemed Unconstitutional
Order to Update

Keywords

Content Regulation / Censorship
Digital Rights
Freedom of Association and Assembly / Protests
Public Officials
Public Order

Judicial Body: Constitutional Court

Court Name: The Eighth Chamber of the Constitutional Court of Colombia

Case Number: T-372/2023

Case Summary: The Eighth Chamber of the Constitutional Court of Colombia held that the government violated the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly by failing to provide the petitioners with timely, truthful, and complete information about the interruptions of internet service—and the use of signal jammers—during public protests which occurred in Cali, Colombia during April and May 2021. The petitioners, members of civil society, alleged that during the protests, internet service was interrupted and the cell phone signal was cut, violating their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. In addition, the petitioners argued that the Police and the Army had signal-jamming equipment, and recalled the testimony of journalists, who stated that they lost signal as they approached a law enforcement vehicle, and got it back when they moved away from the car. For its part, the government held that the interruption of the aforementioned services was due to technical problems and acts of vandalism and terrorism by protesters. The Court held that there was insufficient evidence to confirm that the State was responsible for the internet shutdowns. Furthermore, the Court explained that the mere existence of State contracts to acquire technology to inhibit cell phone signals did not prove that authorities were responsible for the lack of internet connection during the protests. However, the Court considered that the government must investigate and communicate promptly, with a high level of transparency, the causes, timeframes, and places where the interruption of internet services occurred. Hence, by failing to do so before, the Court concluded that the government violated the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association because it did not provide the plaintiffs with accurate and complete information about the interruptions of internet services, and the use of signal inhibitors, in the context of the 2021 protests in Cali. Finally, the Court ordered the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies, the National Spectrum Agency, and the Ministry of Defense to respond publicly on these pending matters.

Case Significance: Expands Expression The Constitutional Court strengthened and updated the rules regarding internet interruptions, the importance of ensuring connectivity in social protests, and access to information in these contexts. In this sense, the Court argued that States must guarantee access to public information and the provision of internet services without interference, especially during public demonstrations, and that it must provide clear and timely technical information when shutdown complaints are filed. Even though the Court did not find evidence to attribute the interruptions to the government directly, it also held public authorities responsible for not providing adequate information about what happened to the internet and cell phone signals during the demonstrations in Cali in April and May 2021.

The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.

Related Caselaw (self)

Bejarano v. Ministry of Defense

Related Law

Constitución

Source URL: Global Freedom of Expression

Collection

CIPIT
Columbia

Date Updated: 31 janv. 2024

Documents principaux

Bejarano v. Ministry of Defense .pdf
Spanish
Télécharger Vue

CYRILLA: Global Digital Rights Law

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Bejarano v. Ministry of Defense

Documents principaux

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