Human Rights First, Front Line and the Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders have issued a joint statement to the United Nations Periodic Review calling on the Government of Colombia to release all human rights defenders currently being held illegally in detention and to take immediate action to investigate threats against and attacks on human rights defenders.

Further Information

The statement called on the Colombian Government to "immediately adopt the Working Group’s many recommendations calling on the government to acknowledge the importance and legitimacy of human rights advocacy. Unfortunately, since the UPR of Colombia, senior government officials have continued to falsely label peaceful human rights defenders as terrorists, such as Mr. Hollman Morris. The President should issue and enforce a directive prohibiting any public official from making false imputations or accusations that compromise the security or reputation of human rights defenders. Another aspect of grave concern relates to the numerous threats and attacks against human rights defenders, such as the recent death threats against Ms. Lina Paola Malagón, from the Colombian Commission of Jurists".

The full text of the statement is attached below in PDF format for your information.