a target on his back, and he even had to have bodyguards to protect him in 1998 when his life had been threatened due to his remarks which condemned the rampant corruption occurring within the Colombian government. Orlando Sierra Hernández had even begun to investigate Francisco Ferney Tapasco González's involvement with a group of assassins. Orlando Sierra Hernández had not brought these allegations forward, but he was in the process, and Tapasco did not want this information to get out to the public. Impact Orlando Sierra Hernández was important because he acted as the political watchdog over the Caldas Department government. He was always open and honest in his columns, and he was never afraid to call anyone out no matter how important that person was. His death was also important because justice was served for his murder, and it was a huge victory for Colombian journalists because although any journalists had been killed previously, Sierra was the first to have total justice through the judiciary system in Colombia. Reactions After Sierra's Death, many press freedom organizations made statements condemning the act. Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of UNESCO, said, "The murder of Orlando Sierra Hernández is one more tragedy in the long list of attacks on freedom of expression in Colombia. The Colombian authorities must do everything in their power to ensure that this new crime does not go unpunished." Additionally, upon hearing of Topasco's sentence, Gustavo Mohme, President of the IAPA and editor of the newspaper La República, said, “At last justice has been done,” he added that this was “a great piece of news to celebrate for Orlando Sierra’s memory, for the suffering of the members of his family, for the honor of the La Patria colleagues, and for justice for all murdered Colombian journalists whose cases continue to go unpunished.” See also Human rights in Colombia References External links The Journalists Memorial Orlando Sierra Hernández 1959 births 2002 deaths 20th-century journalists 21st-century journalists 2002 murders in Colombia Assassinated Colombian journalists Colombian columnists Male journalists Deaths by firearm in Colombia People from Manizales Year of birth uncertain People murdered in Colombia University of Caldas alumni Jorge Tadeo Lozano University alumni University of Caldas faculty