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July 9, 2010

U.S. Denies Visa to Colombian Journalist
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The U.S. has denied a visa to a prominent Colombian television
journalist to attend a fellowship at Harvard University. The journalist,
Hollman Morris, has been highly critical of outgoing Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe, a key U.S. ally. Morris has helped document Uribe’s ties
to right-wing paramilitary groups responsible for scores of human rights
abuses in Colombia. Uribe has called Morris "an accomplice of terrorism"
for covering the rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia,
or FARC. The Colombian government has also tapped Morris’ phone and
subjected him to potential proseuction. Morris was one of twelve
journalists selected for Harvard’s Nieman Foundation program beginning
later this year. But U.S. officials say he’s been deemed permanently
ineligible for a visa under the "Terrorist activities" section of the
USA Patriot Act.



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