BOGOTÁ — A judge in Bogotá has ordered Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella and the presidential administration to temporarily remove social-media posts showing the president alongside the bodies of people described as alleged members of armed groups.

The ruling was reported by EFE on September making it one of Colombia’s latest judicial developments involving government communications and the publication of sensitive images.

The posts reportedly appeared on official government social-media accounts and showed the president next to bodies of alleged members of armed organisations who had been killed during security operations. The court order requires the material to be withdrawn temporarily.

The case has raised questions about the limits of official government communications, particularly when photographs involve deceased people and potentially sensitive material.

The ruling also places attention on the balance between a government’s right to communicate security operations and the legal protections surrounding dignity, privacy and the handling of images of deceased individuals.

President De la Espriella has made the fight against organised crime and armed groups a central part of his administration’s security agenda. His government has also recently taken other controversial security measures, including changes to Colombia’s firearms-permit policy.

The latest judicial intervention comes as Colombia continues to deal with security challenges involving organised criminal organisations and armed groups. Government operations against such groups have increasingly become a major part of public and political debate.

The court’s decision could also influence how Colombian authorities present future military and police operations online. Government agencies may need to exercise greater caution when publishing photographs or videos involving people killed during security actions.

For the administration, the ruling represents a legal setback over the use of official digital communications, while for critics it highlights the importance of maintaining limits on how graphic or sensitive material is displayed by public institutions.

The case is likely to remain part of Colombia’s wider debate over security policy, government transparency and the responsibilities of public officials when communicating about violence and armed conflict.