The International Office for Human Rights Action on Colombia

defenders

Press release – Defending the environment, dangerous in Colombia

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Today sadely marks the anniversary of the disappearance of Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego, a 26 year-old environmental engineer, who was disappeared on February 17, 2011 in Cali.

Oidhaco is deeply concerned about attacks against those who defend the right to land, the right to oppose mega-projects that affect the environment and the living conditions of communities such as dams or mining projects. Several environmentalists have been murdered during recent months: Adelinda Gaviria Gómez, who played an active role in the Mining and Environmental Forum (killed in Cauca on September 30, 2013); César García of the Environmental and Small Farming Committee in Tolima, who actively opposed the ‘La Colosa’ gold mining project implemented by the company Anglogold Ashanti (murdered on November 2, 2013); and Robinson David Mazo, member of the Living Rivers Movement struggling against the Hidroituango hydroelectric project (murdered on November 30, 2013).

Press release – Protests in Europe about the critical situation for lawyers in Colombia

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On the “International Day of the Endangered Lawyer” genuine steps must be taken to combat attacks on those who fight for Colombians’ human rights.

Tomorrow, on January 24, European lawyers’ associations representing at least 10,000 lawyers will organise protests in various European cities about the danger their colleagues face in Colombia. According to figures from Colombia, in the last 10 years more than 700 lawyers have been murdered in this country and 4,400 have suffered different types of attacks. In the report from their last visit, the International Caravana of Jurists stresses that during all three missions they have organised to Colombia, delegates have heard about the high rate of impunity, which is still estimated at 97% for some crimes. The “International Day of the Endangered Lawyer”, as the initiative is known, has been organised in Europe since 2010, in favour of lawyers from Iran, Turkey and the Basque Country. This year the day focuses on the protection of Colombian lawyers.

On Human Rights Day, International Organizations deplore the affirmed conviction (on appeal) of David Ravelo Crespo

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Joint declaration – On Human Rights Day, international organisations and networks deploer the 220 months of reclusion of human rights defender David Ravelo.

Today, the 10th of December, international Human Rights Day, the international organizations and networks whose signatures appear below deplore the 220 month-prison sentence of human rights defender David Ravelo Crespo, member of the Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights in Magdalena Medio (CREDHOS) in the city of Barrancabermeja (Colombia). Once again we reiterate our concern for the variety of irregularities that have been denounced throughout David Ravelo´s trial, which ended with his being convicted in the first instance. This conviction was upheld in its entirety in the second instance by the Bucaramanga High Court (el Tribunal Superior) on the 8th of October 2013.

On the third anniversary of the detention of renowned Colombian human rights defender David Ravelo Crespo, International organisations express concern.

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Joint declaration.

14 September 2013 marks three years since renowned human rights defender David Ravelo Crespo, member of the director’s board of the Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights (CREDHOS) based in the city of Barrancabermeja (Colombia), was detained.  As International NGOs and networks, we would like to reiterate concerns regarding a series of irregularities that were reported throughout the proceedings which resulted in his conviction and sentencing to 220 months in prison.

37 human rights defenders killed in the last six months, the EU must call upon the Colombian State to offer real guarantees for their work

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Press release on the occasion of the National Human Rights Day in Colombia.

Today is National Human Rights Day in Colombia. The figures for human rights violations are shocking across the board: this is one of the countries with the most internally displaced persons in the world, where the most trade unionists are killed, with the highest number of victims of landmines in the Western hemisphere and a shocking number of murders of human rights defenders: 37 defenders were murdered in the first six months of this year alone. This means that one human rights defender is murdered every five days in Colombia.

We reject the latest threats against the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace (CIJP)

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We express our deep concern at the grave situation of risk and threats that members of the CIJP have been suffering for many years, and which have been increasing in the past few weeks. Joint statement by DIAL-OIDHACO-ABColombia.

We, the international member organisations of the Inter-Agency Dialogue on Colombia (DIAL), the International Office for Human Rights Action on Colombia (OIDHACO) and ABColombia, express our deep concern at the grave situation of risk and threats that members of the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace (Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz – CIJP) have been suffering for many years, and which have been increasing in the past few weeks.

Our solidarity is universal.

We are deeply concerned about all victims of armed conflict, repression and violence around the world — from Sudan to Syria, including the persecution of the Rohingya and so many other crises that often receive less international attention than they deserve. Each of these situations calls for solidarity, remembrance, justice and action.

However, we have decided to specifically highlight the message ‘Stop Genocide in Palestine’ because what is happening in Palestine represents not only a human tragedy of enormous magnitude, but also a direct challenge to the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and to the rules-based international system itself. The indifference and complicity of much of the international community in the face of the apartheid regime imposed by the Israeli government on the Palestinian people represent one of the greatest moral and political contradictions of our time.

The persistent violation of essential norms — such as the protection of the civilian population, the prohibition of collective punishment and respect for proportionality in the use of force — not only has devastating consequences for the Palestinian population, but also erodes the global mechanisms designed to limit the power of states and prevent abuses.

When these rules are repeatedly breached without any effective consequences, the framework that protects all populations in conflict situations, anywhere in the world, is weakened. Therefore, speaking out in this case does not mean ignoring other forms of suffering, but rather emphasising the urgency of defending an international order which, if it collapses, leaves everyone in a more vulnerable position.

Drawing attention to this situation is, therefore, an act consistent with the universal values we uphold: the protection of life, human dignity and respect for international law, without exception.

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