Human rights defender Ms Marta Díaz has been subject to death threats and intimidation, through a threatening letter and email received on 24 July 2010.

Further Information

Marta Díaz is president and a founding member of La Asociación de Familiares Unidos por un Solo Dolor - AFUSODO (Association of Relatives United by a Single Sorrow), a human rights organisation which supports those campaigning for justice for the killings of their relatives. Since 2008 Marta Díaz has campaigned to bring to justice those responsible for the death of her son, Douglas Alberto Tavera Dìaz, who was killed in April 2006 by members of the Colombian National Army.

It has been reported that since AFUSODO was formed, Marta Díaz and other members of the association have been subject to threats and harassment. On 24 July 2010, Marta Díaz discovered a threatening letter in her postbox. The letter was addressed to her by name, and stated that she and members of her family, including her brother, were under surveillance. The authors said that they knew her movements and whereabouts, including the church she attends. They threatened to kill her if she did not give up her work, making reference to the death of her son: “lo del hijo suyo fue un accidente pero no la ponga difícil sabemos de todos sus movimiento” (Your son, that was an accident, but it isn't difficult for us to know about all your movements). The authors signed the letter as “Alias GRASA y SALOMON”, and identified themselves as belonging to the Frente Urbano, Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (Urban Front of the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia), a far-right-wing paramilitary group.

The same day, she received another death threat through via email which referred to details of her movements, her business and the location of her family. It concluded: “asi que deja de joder con este cuento que vas a terminar en el cementerio como tu hijo, es la ultima advertencia” (So stop following this story or you'll end up in the cemetery like your son, this is the last warning).

Front Line believes that the death threats against Marta Díaz are directly related to her work in the defence of human rights, particularly her activities denouncing human rights violations committed by the military in Colombia. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Marta Díaz, her family members and other members of AFUSODO.