Big Development in Colombian Defender Case

A human rights activist unjustly detained in Colombia today has greater hopes of being released. Human Rights First has consistently advocated on his behalf, and he was one of the cases listed in a recent report on baseless prosecutions of human rights activists in Colombia.

In November 2008, Carmelo Agamez was charged with belonging to a paramilitary group, even though he has spent his career denouncing paramilitary violence and government corruption.

Now, it is the prosecutor linked to his case who is being investigated for corruption in connection to his baseless prosecution of Agamez.

The Attorney General repeatedly cited Human Rights First’s concerns about the lack of impartiality in the investigation against Agamez. We had previously called on the Attorney General to appoint a new prosecutor to the case and to release Agamez from detention.

Step one: accomplished. Step two: on its way.

Read our press release.

Read our report.