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Colombia: A voice that won’t be silenced

David Rabelo Crespo is a Colombian human rights defender and a finalist for the 2013 Front Line Defenders Award. He is currently serving an 18 year sentence on politically motivated charges of aggravated homicide. The following guest blog post describes a recent visit to David in prison by Peace Brigades International volunteer Niamh Ni Bhriain:

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UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya Concludes Visit to Honduras; Echoes Front Line Defenders Alert About Violence Against HRDsposted on: 2012/02/21

UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya concluded her official visit to Honduras with a statement summarizing her visit and listing specific recommendations to the State, to human rights defenders and to the international community.

Colombia: Update - Further death threats against members of CREDHOSposted on: 2012/02/03

Members of Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos - CREDHOS (Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights) have received further death threats.

Front Line Defenders Statement on Violence Against HRDs in the Americas 2012

The start of the new year has seen a dangerous turn for the worse for human rights defenders in the Americas. In the last 2 weeks alone, Front Line Defenders has documented a number of cases of killing, attempted killing, attacks and death threats to human rights defenders throughout the region.

Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned about the apparent increase in violence and intimidation against human rights defenders in the Americas region. As the region continues to deal with the legacy of the past and makes strides towards justice and accountability, it is more important than ever to ensure the safety and security of human rights defenders working on the front lines of securing political, social, cultural, economic and other human rights for the people of the region.

You can read more about these cases on the Americas page at www.frontlinedefenders.org and you can stay updated on news about human rights defenders around the world by signing up for the Front Line Defenders e-bulletin via the website.

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Colombia: David Rabelo Crespo arrestedposted on: 2012/02/01

On 14 September 2010 human rights defender David Rabelo Crespo was arrested in Barrancabermeja, Colombia and is facing politically motivated charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and aggravated murder.

Colombia: Death threats at gunpoint against human rights defender Mr Abelardo Sánchez Serranoposted on: 2012/01/19

On 13 January 2012, human rights defender Mr Abelardo Sánchez Serrano was threatened by two unknown men on a motorcycle in Barrancabermeja.

Front Line report “Strategies for Survival” documents dangerous reality for human rights defenders in Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Colombiaposted on: 2011/12/12

A top Indonesian human rights lawyer is fatally poisoned with arsenic on an international flight. A Zimbabwean activist is abducted and held incommunicado before being tried on baseless charges. Leaked documents reveal plans to assassinate Colombian human rights defenders. And these shocking incidents occur in a day-to-day context of surveillance, threats, and other harassment.

Colombia: Joint Open Letter to Secretary Hillary Clinton on the situation of Principe Gabriel Gonzálezposted on: 2011/10/10

Colombian human rights defender Principe Gabriel González is imprisoned today (4 October) under the codes of yesterday’s discredited criminal justice system.

Colombia: Alleged planned attacks against human rights defender and journalist, Ms Claudia Julieta Duqueposted on: 2011/09/23

Human rights defender Ms Claudia Julieta Duque has been informed of alleged plans within the Military Intelligence Department to carry out attacks against her. Claudia Julieta Duque is a journalist and works as a correspondent with the Equipo Nizkor and Radio Nizkor in Colombia, and is a former member of the Federación Colombiana de Periodistas – Fecolper (Colombian Federation of Journalists) and of the directive board of the Unión de Periodistas de Bogotá – UPB (Journalists Union of Bogotá). She is an honorary member of the National Union of Journalists of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Claudia Julieta Duque has been the target of intimidation, harassment, threats and surveillance since 2001. In January 2004, the Protection Programme for Journalists, under the direction of the Minister of the Interior, extended her protection measures, while in November 2009, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights granted her precautionary measures in order to guarantee her safety.

Colombia: Send a message of solidarity to the Colombian human rights defender David Rabelo Crespo, detained one year ago todayposted on: 2011/09/13

On 14 September 2010, one year ago today, human rights defender David Rabelo Crespo was detained and is currently on trial for aggravated homicide, in a case about which many human rights organisations have expressed serious concern.

Please send David a message of solidarity today by clicking here – his case is so important, not only for himself, but for all human rights defenders in Colombia currently facing judicial processes.