Threats and crimes against social and political leaders

The exclusion of social and political leaders in democratic spaces through threats and crimes has been a constant in the Colombian conflict for decades. In many cases, criminal groups act against the leaders as a way of exercising power over the whole group. Since the signing of the peace agreement with FARC-ЕР guerrilla in 2016, the menaces and offences against these individuals have increased. Territorial, economic and power disputes between different gangs that want to control the areas have grown in the vacuum of power by the demobilised combatants.

Given a broad range of difficulties in the process of data gathering, there are differences in the existing databases regarding the exact number of leaders threatened, attacked and murdered since 2016 in Colombia. However, the studies agree that the threats and attacks against leaders increase during pre- and post- electoral periods (Ball, Rodriguez, and Rozo 2018; CCJ, IEPRI, and AECID 2018; Guevara 2019). This has been the case for the current electoral year, starting on October 27, 2018, and running up to the local elections of mayors, governors, councillors and other regional electoral positions on October 27, 2019.

For instance, according to МОЕ, since October 27,2018, and until August 27, 2019, there were 364 cases of violence against social and political leaders in

Colombia. From this number, 91 people were killed. The number of crimes has increased since July 27, 2019, when the period for citizens to register as candidates in the elections ended (МОЕ 2019). Although in many cases the authors of the crimes are unknown, most of the time the offences are committed by paramilitary groups, followed by guerrillas, non-identifiable criminal gangs and even some military members (CCJ, IEPRI, and AECID 2018).

The State has reacted by prosecuting some of the cases, providing protection to some of the victims, giving some visibility to the phenomenon and creating a stronger regulatory framework for the protection of social and political leaders. Nevertheless, the State-led efforts have not been enough to tackle this pervasive issue that threatens the core of democracy in Colombia. In this scenario, social media use has influenced both the protection and threats of social and political leaders. This is examined in the next subsections.

Online intimidation and massification of the terror

Offline methods, such as the use of paper pamphlets, have been used broadly to spread threats and fear in Colombia. Social media has allowed the amplification of these mechanisms and created new means to create pressure and disseminate terror. Two main situations are identified.

New media, new threats

The first scenario of harmful use of social media has to do with the emergence of new sources of risk for political and social leaders. With the rise of social media, the digital data of social and political leaders has become a dangerous source of information that allows criminals to identify, follow and threaten their victims more effectively. Moreover, sometimes digital devices with GPS systems given to victims by the State to enhance their protection have been infiltrated by illegal groups to monitor their moves and spy on their conversations (ibid, 189). In other cases, the digital information of journalists and human rights defenders to make visible the threats against social leaders has been stolen (Redaction Colom- bia2020 2018). These perils have also encouraged self-censorship.

Massive spread of fear

Anonymous content disseminated through social media can, in seconds, spread threats and rumours against social and political leaders. The threats affect the safety of leaders and also create a general alarm in their families and communities.

Support, visibility and defense

Social media employment has also been a valuable source to provide support to social leaders, amplify their messages and sufferings and create mechanisms to prevent crimes against them. Two categories are distinctive.

A leader in my place

Since 2018, a broad range of citizen-led social media strategies have arisen, aimed at supporting social leaders. These initiatives have mostly emerged in Colombia’s biggest cities. Some projects’ ambition is to expose the urgency to protect the leaders and to pressure the State to take further measures to tackle the situation. This is the case, for example, for demonstrations organised through social media.

Other initiatives aim to amplify the messages and voices of the civic leaders, which have been indifferent to a broad range of citizens in the country who are not directly affected by violence. For instance, the campaign # UnLtderEnMiLu- tyar (#ALeaderInMyPlace), has inspired journalists, influencers and TV hosts to offer their platforms for leaders to speak about their situation. A video on the YouTube channel of Daniel Samper Ospina, who created the initiative, sparked the actions by gathering civic leaders and social media influencers in a music video denouncing the threats and crimes against the leaders. “Perhaps you will see them if they are digital”, were some of the song’s lyrics, entitled “The reggaeton of the social leaders” (Samper 2019).

New mechanisms of protection

Social media has also been used by the civil society to trigger strategies to prevent the crimes against social leaders. In some cases, hashtags such as #MiPecadoFue- ScrLi'derSocial (#MySinWasToBcASocialLeader) in social media platforms are used to make visible menaces against the leaders. In others, web-based applications such as Coliderate (Let’s Lead Together), provide options to alert close networks if a security breach is taking place and provide information for leaders about how to handle the risk and report threats to authorities.