Colombia: Intimidation and threats against human rights defenders Ms Ingrid Vergara and Mr Juan David Díaz Chamorro

Human rights defenders Ms Ingrid Vergara and Mr Juan David Díaz Chamorro have repeatedly received threats against them, and Ingrid Vergara was the subject of an assassination attempt on 5 February 2010. Ingrid Vergara is the spokesperson for Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in Sucre and Juan David Díaz Chamorro is a member of the same organisation. MOVICE has recently denounced several politicians for having links with paramilitary groups. Its work in this respect has lead to the arrests of several high level politicians.

On 5 February 2010, Ingrid Vergara and another women defender attended a meeting together. The two women are of a similar build and, on this occasion, both were dressed in a similar fashion. When Ingrid Vergara's colleague was returning home from the meeting on a motorcycle taxi, two men on a green Yamaha Victoria motorcycle, without registration plates, drove up beside the motorcycle taxi and the pillion passenger aimed a gun directly at her. However, when he saw her face and realised she was not Ingrid Vergara, he lowered the weapon and they sped off. On 6 February 2010, Ingrid Vergara reported the incident to the Sincelejo police department where she was informed that there were only two motorbikes in the city matching the description given and that one of them belonged to a police officer.

On 31 December 2009, at approximately 7:30am, an unidentified man telephoned Ingrid Vergara on her mobile phone from a private number and asked “donde andas perra?” (Where are you bitch?). Ingrid Vergara was not in Sincelejo at the time of the threat due to previous threats that she had received against her and her daughter in October 2009.

Juan David Díaz Chamorro also faced repeated threats. On 18 January 2010, his aunt received a threatening email that read "se los advertimos los vamos a acabar a todos. De nosotros nadie se burla, pronto les daremos la primera sorpresa" (We warned you we are going to get you all. No one makes fun of us, soon we are going to give you the first surprise”). In November 2009, Juan David Díaz Chamorro also received a threatening email against him.

Members of MOVICE have long been targeted as a result of their human rights activities. In November 2008, Carmelo Agámez Berrio, Technical Secretary of MOVICE Sucre was arrested and falsely accused of having links with paramilitary groups.

Front Line believes that the assassination attempt against Ingrid Vergara and the threats against members of MOVICE Sucre, are directly related to the organisation's activities in defence of human rights, in particular its efforts to report politicians suspected of having links with paramilitary groups. Front Line fears for the physical and psychological integrity of the members of MOVICE Sucre.

Front Line urges the authorities in Colombia to:

1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the assassination attempt against Ingrid Vergara and the threats against her and Juan David Díaz Chamorro, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards ; 2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological security and integrity of Ingrid Vergara, Juan David Díaz and all other members of MOVICE Sucre; 3. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Colombia to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.