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UN Expert Voices Rights Concerns in ColombiaColombian activists subject to execution, threats, arbitrary detention
New York— An independent United Nations expert voiced serious concerns about “patterns of harassment and persecution” against Colombian human rights activists after an extensive visit to Colombia late Friday. These human rights concerns may influence the prospects of a pending US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to Human Rights First, a New York-based international human rights organization. Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, found that activists were subject to the full gamut of human rights violations including killings, torture, threats and unfounded criminal proceedings and were targeted “because of their legitimate work in upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms.” “The Colombian government should end trumped-up criminal charges and unfounded terrorist smear campaigns against activists, and not remain deaf to a growing chorus of international concern,” said Andrew Hudson, Senior Associate at Human Rights First. “A vibrant civil society is critical to strengthening the rule of law in Colombia,” he concluded. The US Trade Representative is currently reviewing comments from stakeholders about whether the US should sign the FTA with Colombia. The UN anxieties about Colombia echo those raised by President Obama in June this year when he expressed concern about extrajudicial killings, illegal surveillance and the need to “protect both labor and civil rights leaders…” Sekaggya agreed with the goals of a campaign Human Rights First launched last week with over 200 organizations from more than 20 nations, urging the Colombian government to end: (1) impunity for violations against defenders; (2) the misuse of state intelligence; (3) systematic stigmatization; and (4) unfounded criminal proceedings. In her comments Sekaggya recognized the problem of illegal intelligence gathering by Colombia’s intelligence agency and the reliance on intelligence reports to arbitrarily detain defenders. Human Rights First documented this problem earlier this year in a report, In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, which, for the first time, documented the widespread use of trumped-up charges to silence Colombian human rights activists. Further information: Press Release from UN Special Rapporteur Sekaggya Campaign for the Right to Defend Human Rights in Colombia Human Rights First’s Submission to UN Human Rights Council on Defenders in Colombia Human Rights First’s work with human rights defenders in Colombia # # # Human Rights First is a leading human rights advocacy organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C. Since 1978, we have worked in the United States and abroad to create a secure and humane world—advancing justice, human dignity, and respect for the rule of law. All of our activities are supported by private contributions. We accept no government funds. Visit our website: www.humanrightsfirst.org - 30 - |
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