Human rights defender, Mr David Ravelo Crespo, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos – CREDHOS (Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights), has been receiving a number of death threats, the most recent of which occurred on 3 June 2010.

Further Information

CREDHOS is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights in Colombia. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal relating to death threats against David Ravelo Crespo and other members of CREDHOS on 25 February 2008.

On 3 June 2010, at approximately 22:00, David Ravelo Crespo's son received a phone call from a cellular telephone in which an unknown person informed him that they had just killed his father. On 28 May 2010 the human rights defender's mother in law received a phone call on her land-line during which she was warned that there was an order out for his murder. On 7 May 2010, at approximately 14:00, David Ravelo Crespo's son, who lives outside of Barrancabermeja as a result of the constant threats against his family, received a phone call from a cellular telephone and was told to prepare for his father's funeral.

On three occasions in April 2010 three individuals who are known to David Ravelo Crespo were approached by persons on a motorcycle who inquired as to the location of the human rights defender's home.

On 22 April 2010 Front Line issued an urgent appeal concerning death threats, claiming to be from the right-wing paramilitary group Los Rastrojos, against over 60 human rights organisations and human rights defenders. CREDHOS was one of the organisations named within this threat.

David Ravelo Crespo was granted precautionary security measures by the Inter-American Commission in 2000.

Front Line believes the death threats against David Ravelo Crespo are directly related to his work in defence of human rights. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the aforementioned human rights defender. Given the fact that Colombia continues to record some of the highest levels of attacks on human rights defenders, including killings, Front Line reiterates that immediate measures must be taken to protect those who remain at risk as a result of death threats.