• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: Protect Human Rights Defender at Risk (Colombia: UA 38.21)

April 9, 2021

On March 24, 2021 the Santander’s (North) Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights (CREDHOS in Spanish) received a threatening call from a unknown man self-identified as member of the Magdalena Medio Block of the armed group FARC- EP saying “stop making publications and being toadies, CREDHOS´ Staff is a military objective, you have 48 hours to leave Barrancabermeja”. Minutes later the President of CREDHOS received a threatening voice message. We urge authorities to fully guarantee their protection as per their collective reparation plan granted in 2016.

TAKE ACTION:
  1. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
  2. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 38.21. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ramón Rodríguez, Director Unit for Attention and Integral Reparation of Victims Carrera 85 D # 46 a- 65. Complejo logístico Sa Cayetano. CP 111071. Bogotá, Colombia Email: [email protected]
Ambassador Francisco Santos Embassy of Colombia 1724 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202 387 8338 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ColombiaEmbUSA @PachoSantosC Facebook: @ColombiaEmbassyUS Salutation: Dear Ambassador

SAMPLE LETTER Dear Mr. Ramon Rodríguez, I am writing to express concern for the safety of the members of The Santander’s Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights (CREDHOS) and organization committed to the defense, promotion, and protection of human rights in the Magdalena medio region since 1987. Since September 2020, their members have received at least 5 death threats, the latest one on March 24th, when unidentified people made a threatening call to their office telling them that CREDHOS´s staff were military target and giving them 48 hours to leave the city. Immediately after, Ivan Antonio Madero Vergel, President of the organization received a voice note with a death thread against him and his family. We urge you to fully implement the integral plan of collective reparation (Plan Integral de Reparación Colectiva , PRIC) granted by your office to CREDHOS on 2016 that included the guarantee for full protection for the members of the organization. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] ADDITIONAL RESOURCES