Passport of the exiled journalist pleading for refugee status confiscated by Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Foreigners

Location: Colombia, Bogotá
Date: September 4, 2023

The journalist had to relocate due to the risks she faced as a journalist and may now face deportation. Sources the Coalition For Women In Journalism spoke to consider Carola Briceño's fear that she could be deported to be grounded. We expect UNHCR to support Briceño in her circumstances and provide her with the documentation and resources she deserves as an exiled journalist.

Briceño, who is forced to live in exile in Colombia due to death threats she received after exposing corruption in Venezuela, tells CFWIJ that SAIME— the Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Foreigners at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — confiscated her passport while in the process of registering with the UNHCR to obtain refugee status.  

Briceño believes that UNHCR shared information without considering her safety and protection. 

In response, the journalist has been on a hunger strike for nearly three weeks but had to break her fast over the weekend due to low blood sugar and declining health, as advised by doctors. The exiled journalist has been outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) headquarters in Bogotá, hoping for support from the UNHCR with her refugee application status at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Briceño fled to Colombia several years ago after threats against her life and her family. Colombian authorities compelled Briceño to renounce her Temporary Protection Permit (PPT) earlier so she could request refuge to avoid deportation. Her refugee status, however, has remained uncertain and unresolved since February this year despite her multiple petitions.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism fully supports Carola Briceño and stands with her during this difficult period. We are aware that UNHCR confiscates passports on certain occasions but urges the agency to provide assistance to the journalist who has a duty to do this work. We urge UNHCR to urgently address Briceño's situation and call on the Colombian government to fulfill its obligations under the Geneva Convention by granting her immediate refugee status. The safety and well-being of journalists facing harassment and persecution must be prioritized.  

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 female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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