Contact: Sharon Singh, [email protected], 202-675-8579, @spksingh
(Washington, D.C.) — Amnesty International today condemns a car bomb attack which killed two people and injured more than 50 in the Colombian capital of Bogotá on May 15, saying the attack demonstrated a “reprehensible disregard for human life” and calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
“Whoever was responsible for these attacks should be identified and brought to trial,” said Marcelo Pollack, Colombia researcher at Amnesty International. “Any criminal investigation must be impartial and independent, and the results made public.”
The explosion injured former interior minister Fernando Londoño, and killed his driver and bodyguard, along with injuring 50 passers-by.
No group has yet claimed responsibility and the Colombian authorities have thus far refused to blame any organization.
“Should investigations into yesterday’s bombing uncover the responsibility of a party to the armed conflict, this would constitute a serious breach of international humanitarian law, which prohibits direct attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks which may result in civilian casualties,” added Pollack.