Colombian police said Wednesday they had arrested 70 people following fresh anti-government protests that mobilised thousands countrywide the previous day and left dozens injured.

As Colombians returned to the streets after a weeks-long hiatus, clashes with riot police left dozens of civilians and agents wounded in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cali, according to the authorities.&nbsp;

The government has described the protests as largely peaceful.

"In the last few hours the national police captured 70 people, 69 of them caught in the act, for crimes committed in several cities on July 20, and one more on a warrant for homicide," the institution said in a statement.

Charges include blocking public roads, damage to property, throwing dangerous objects or substances, and firearm possession.&nbsp;

The government claims armed groups had infiltrating the protests.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/colombia-is-home-to-20-of-all-butterfly-species-in-the-world-study-finds-393385">Also read |&nbsp;Colombia is home to 20% of all butterfly species in the world, study finds</a>

Colombia's human rights ombudsman reported 50 people were injured in Tuesday's demonstrations -- 24 civilians and 26 agents.

The country was rocked by weeks of protests that broke out late April in opposition to a proposed tax hike that morphed into a mass movement against the right-wing administration of President Ivan Duque.

The demonstrators demanded an end to police repression and more supportive public policies to alleviate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 40 percent of the country's 50 million inhabitants now living in poverty.

The international community has condemned a security response that left more than 60 people dead.

Police reform

A major group representing protesters -- the so-called National Strike Committee -- said on June 16 it would suspend the demonstrations, even though smaller groups continued and roadblocks remained.&nbsp;

The committee called fresh protests for Tuesday, Colombia's independence day, as the government put a new tax proposal to parliament.

On Wednesday, the government presented to lawmakers a bill to reform the police, who are accused of abuses against civilian protesters.

It proposes better training for officers and sanctions for those who do not identify themselves when carrying out arrests, or who refuse to be filmed while carrying out their duties.

But it does not suggest removing the police from the control of the defense ministry, as demanded by protesters.

"The national police must be part of the ministry of defense because of the conditions of threat and violence that still exist in Colombia," police chief Diego Molano told AFP.

The institution "has functions in the fight against drug trafficking, in citizen security... in the fight against smuggling that require coordination with the military forces."

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has hit out at Colombia's "disproportionate" and "lethal" response to the protests, and has also recommended a police separation from the military.

Colombian police said Wednesday they had arrested 70 people following fresh anti-government protests that mobilised thousands countrywide the previous day and left dozens injured.

Colombian police said Wednesday they had arrested 70 people following fresh anti-government protests that mobilised thousands countrywide the previous day and left dozens injured. As Colombians returned to the streets after a weeks-long hiatus, clashes with riot police left dozens of civilians and agents wounded in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cali, according to the authorities. The government has described the protests as largely peaceful. "In the last few hours the national police captured 70 people, 69 of them caught in the act, for crimes committed in several cities on July 20, and one more on a warrant for homicide," the institution said in a statement. Charges include blocking public roads, damage to property, throwing dangerous objects or substances, and firearm possession. The government claims armed groups had infiltrating the protests. Also read | Colombia is home to 20% of all butterfly species in the world, study finds Colombia's human rights ombudsman reported 50 people were injured in Tuesday's demonstrations -- 24 civilians and 26 agents. The country was rocked by weeks of protests that broke out late April in opposition to a proposed tax hike that morphed into a mass movement against the right-wing administration of President Ivan Duque. The demonstrators demanded an end to police repression and more supportive public policies to alleviate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 40 percent of the country's 50 million inhabitants now living in poverty. The international community has condemned a security response that left more than 60 people dead. Police reform A major group representing protesters -- the so-called National Strike Committee -- said on June 16 it would suspend the demonstrations, even though smaller groups continued and roadblocks remained. The committee called fresh protests for Tuesday, Colombia's independence day, as the government put a new tax proposal to parliament. On Wednesday, the government presented to lawmakers a bill to reform the police, who are accused of abuses against civilian protesters. It proposes better training for officers and sanctions for those who do not identify themselves when carrying out arrests, or who refuse to be filmed while carrying out their duties. But it does not suggest removing the police from the control of the defense ministry, as demanded by protesters. "The national police must be part of the ministry of defense because of the conditions of threat and violence that still exist in Colombia," police chief Diego Molano told AFP. The institution "has functions in the fight against drug trafficking, in citizen security... in the fight against smuggling that require coordination with the military forces." The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has hit out at Colombia's "disproportionate" and "lethal" response to the protests, and has also recommended a police separation from the military.

Dozens arrested in fresh Colombia protests: Police

Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating &quot;terrorist propaganda&quot;. A fourth journalist was released after a brief detention. 
 
Yesterday, protesters chanted &quot;a free press cannot be silenced&quot; and &quot;arrests, oppression cannot intimidate us&quot;. Others held up a banner that read: &quot;Thinking cannot be jailed&quot;. 
 
The demonstration comes a day after a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders&#39; Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. 
 
The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. 
 
Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, not journalistic work. 
 
The state-run Anadolu Agency said Onderoglu, Nesin and Fincanci had acted as chief editors for a day for the pro-Kurdish publication and issues they edited in May and June included alleged terrorist propaganda. The news agency also said the court ordered the suspects&#39; arrest on &quot;strong criminal suspicion&quot;. 
 
Reporters Without Borders condemned their arrests as &quot;an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey&quot;. Human Rights Watch slammed the &quot;spurious allegations&quot; that led to the detention of three out of 44 participants in the solidarity campaign and urged their immediate release. 
 
HRW Europe and Central Asia Director, Hugh Williamson, said the arrests showed that &quot;Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country&quot;. 
 
In a separate development, a New York-based journalist who covers the United Nations for the Turkish Hurriyet daily was released Tuesday morning. Razi Canikligil was detained for almost a full day after flying into Istanbul airport with his family. 
 
&quot;They arrested me in front of my three boys,&quot; Canikligil told the AP. &quot;They were very afraid.&quot; 
 
The journalist said an arrest warrant had been issued against him over a 2014 Twitter post on a troll account, which was mistakenly attributed to him and deemed to be offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
No charges were pressed against Canikligil, and his passport was returned to him after a night in detention at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. 
 
&quot;Everyone was suggesting that this was government pressure to shut me down,&quot; added the journalist. &quot;We didn&#39;t know what the issue 
was.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Reporters Without Borders calls the arrests 'an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey', which has imprisoned over a dozen journalists

Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". A fourth journalist was released after a brief detention. Yesterday, protesters chanted "a free press cannot be silenced" and "arrests, oppression cannot intimidate us". Others held up a banner that read: "Thinking cannot be jailed". The demonstration comes a day after a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders' Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, not journalistic work. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Onderoglu, Nesin and Fincanci had acted as chief editors for a day for the pro-Kurdish publication and issues they edited in May and June included alleged terrorist propaganda. The news agency also said the court ordered the suspects' arrest on "strong criminal suspicion". Reporters Without Borders condemned their arrests as "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey". Human Rights Watch slammed the "spurious allegations" that led to the detention of three out of 44 participants in the solidarity campaign and urged their immediate release. HRW Europe and Central Asia Director, Hugh Williamson, said the arrests showed that "Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country". In a separate development, a New York-based journalist who covers the United Nations for the Turkish Hurriyet daily was released Tuesday morning. Razi Canikligil was detained for almost a full day after flying into Istanbul airport with his family. "They arrested me in front of my three boys," Canikligil told the AP. "They were very afraid." The journalist said an arrest warrant had been issued against him over a 2014 Twitter post on a troll account, which was mistakenly attributed to him and deemed to be offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No charges were pressed against Canikligil, and his passport was returned to him after a night in detention at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. "Everyone was suggesting that this was government pressure to shut me down," added the journalist. "We didn't know what the issue was." (AFP)

Turkish demonstrators protest arrest of 2 journalists and 1 academic for 'terrorist propaganda'

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