/ / COLOMBIA: GUARANTEE SAFETY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

COLOMBIA: GUARANTEE SAFETY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

UA: Fourth 16.25

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On October 11, Yuly Velásquez president of FEDEPESAN, a federation of fishers’ associations in Santander and the Magdalena Medio region, received a phone call and text messages summoning her to a meeting to demand a “contribution” – an extortion payment – and was threatened she would be “made to cry with her family” that same day if she did not comply. Yuly’s was recently acknowledged as “Defender of the Year” at the National Human Rights Awards 2026.

We call on the Colombian government to implement effective policies to protect human rights defenders and enable them to work free from threats and intimidation.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: December 31, 2026

Here is how you can take action:

Send a letter to the Colombia authorities
Send an email to the Colombian authorities
Post on social media

Scroll down to Step 1 and Step 2 to access the full Urgent Action appeal and sample letter, and U.S.P.S. mailing address (if available).

Take action

Step 1

READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION

Enter your email address and zip code to get the sample letter to send to government officials.

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You can now write a letter in your own words or download the sample below as a guide.

Remember to send your letter by December 31, 2026.

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Sample Letter

Dear Minister,

I am concerned about the threats against Yuly Velásquez, her family, and her colleagues. Yuly is president of FEDEPESAN (the Federation of Artisanal, Environmental and Tourist Fishers of Santander). Her work defending artisanal fishing, her community’s rights, and the environment and water bodies surrounding Barrancabermeja has earned her several awards, most recently including the “Defender of the Year” award at Colombia’s National Human Rights Awards in September 2026.

On October 11, Yuly received a phone call and text messages from the number 314 5942494, summoning her to a meeting to demand a “contribution” – an extortion payment – and was threatened she would be “made to cry with her family” that same day if she did not comply. The caller further threatened that anyone who refused to pay would be “put down” by his men, even if they were “hanging around with two or three bodyguards”. This appeared to refer directly to the protection scheme provided to FEDEPESAN by the National Protection Unit (UNP). For years, Yuly and FEDEPESAN have defended their community’s right to clean water and a healthy environment. Extortion demands and threats by armed groups undermine their ability to defend human rights.

I urge you to coordinate with the relevant authorities to assess the risks faced by human rights defenders and organizations, such as FEDEPESAN, that defend their territories and the environment, and to implement effective measures to ensure their protection and prevent attacks against them.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

Step 2

Send your message

Mail your letter to the government officials listed below. You can also email, fax, call, or post about them on social media.

Send your letter to:

Minister of Interior

Carrera 8 # 7 – 83,

Bogotá D.C., Colombia

(*Note: Some have received failure to send notifications for this email address)

[email protected] @MinInterior

and

Ministry’s Human Rights Directorate

No postal address for this contact

[email protected]

and

CC: Colombian Embassy in the United States

Ambassador Daniel García-Peña Jaramillo

Send a copy of your letter to the address below

1724 Massachusetts Ave, NW,

Washington, DC 20036

[email protected]

When writing your letter, don’t forget to be factual, brief, and show respect. See more letter writing tips and emails, or organize and host a letter writing party.

Other Urgent Actions for this Case

First UA Issued: [Colombia 16.25]
Second UA Issued: [Colombia 16.25]
Third UA Issued: [Colombia 16.25]

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