May 25, 2000, Ms. Bedoya was intercepted, kidnapped, and subjected to numerous physical, sexual, and verbal assaults, all while she was engaging in her journalism work. Likewise, in the previous section, the Court has found it proven that the attacks had a clear connection with her journalism activity and were intended to punish, intimidate, and silence her (supra para. 103). 109. Regarding the individual dimension of the right to freedom of thought and expression, the Court recalls that this includes the right to use any appropriate means to disseminate opinions, ideas, and information and make it reach the largest number of recipients. 252 In this case, the Court reiterates that the attacks and violence to which Ms. Bedoya was subjected on May 25, 2000 were due to her profession as a journalist. Likewise, the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Nation itself indicated on several occasions the connection of the attacks to her profession as a journalist. 253 The Court therefore concludes that this attack was intended to single out this journalist for punishment and intimidation and thus impact the individual dimension of her right to freedom of expression. 110. Not only did the attacks on Ms. Bedoya and the violations of her freedom of expression have an individual impact on her, they also had a collective impact, both on Colombian society in terms of people’s right to information and on her fellow journalists when it came to doing their own work. This is where the second dimension of the right to freedom of expression comes into play—that is, the social dimension, regarding which the Court has indicated that it also includes the right of everyone to hear opinions, stories, and news from third parties. 254 111. The Court notes, firstly, that Ms. Bedoya covered matters of great public interest, such as the alleged arms trafficking, the alleged purchase and sale of hostages, and other human rights violations that were being committed in the La Modelo Prison. 255 In this regard, the Court has emphasized that freedom of expression, particularly in matters of public interest, “is a cornerstone of the very existence of a democratic society.” Without an effective guarantee of freedom of expression the democratic system is weakened and there is a breakdown of pluralism and tolerance; the mechanisms of control and complaint that citizens have may become inoperable and, indeed, a fertile ground is created for authoritarian systems to take root. 256 112. Likewise, the Court’s case law has addressed this impact on the victims of violence and on other journalists who could reasonably fear that this type of human rights violation will be repeated and, as a consequence, self-censor their work. 257 But also, the Court observes that the consequences of the social impact of this violation were differentiated due to the fact that the person attacked was a female journalist. Thus, as indicated by Ms. Bedoya before this Court, following the events of May 25, 2000 there were: Many cases hushed up, situations of fellow female journalists who had to face things similar to what happened to me, but as the armed conflict mutated and changed, intimidation against women journalists without question became more common, especially persecution of them and discrediting their work for being women. 258 252 Cf. Case of Ivcher Bronstein v. Peru, supra, para. 147, Case of Carvajal Carvajal et al. v. Colombia, supra, para. 172. 253 Cf. Office of the Attorney General of the Nation, Resolution of June 6, 2000 (evidence file, folio 155). 254 Cf. Case of Ivcher Bronstein v. Peru, supra, para. 148, and Case of Carvajal Carvajal et al. v. Colombia, supra, para. 172. 255 Cf. Statement from Jineth Bedoya Lima given at the public hearing held on March 15, 22, and 23, 2021 within the framework of the 140th regular sessions. 256 Cf. Advisory Opinion OC-5/85 para. 70, and Case of Carvajal Carvajal et al. v. Colombia, supra, para. 174. 257 Cf. Case of Vélez Restrepo and Family v. Colombia, supra, para. 212. Cf. Statement from Jineth Bedoya Lima given at the public hearing held on March 15, 22, and 23, 2021 within the framework of the 140th regular sessions. 258 43