On 19 March 2018, Silvio Duban Ortiz Ortiz and Javier Bernardo Cuero Ortiz, sons of human rights defender, Bernardo Cuero Bravo, were killed by unknown individuals in Barrio Independencia Ferrocarril Avenue of Tumaco Municipality, Nariño.
On 7 June 2017, their father, Bernardo Cuero Bravo was killed at his home in Malambo, Atlántico province. He was shot four times in front of his wife and died instantly.
On 6 September 2016, two armed men on a motorcycle attacked human rights defender Ms Rocío Campos (MOVICE) in the city of Barrancabermeja, in what appeared to be an assassination attempt. After failing to knock her down, one of the attackers drew a gun and pointed it at Rocío Campos, but fortunately she was able to reach the nearest police station 100 metres away unharmed.
On 6 September 2016, two armed men on a motorcycle attacked human rights defender Ms Rocío Campos (MOVICE) in the city of Barrancabermeja, in what appeared to be an assassination attempt. After failing to knock her down, one of the attackers drew a gun and pointed it at Rocío Campos, but fortunately she was able to reach the nearest police station 100 metres away unharmed.
On 12 February 2013 a family member of a human rights defender found a printed out version of an old email under the door of her home. At the end of the email it stated: “Since they ignored this information, we will proceed with their families and see if that hurts”.
On 28 and 27 February 2012, human rights organisations including Corporación Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo - CCAJAR (“José Alvear Restrepo” Lawyers' Collective) and the Movimiento Nacional de Víctimas de Estado - MOVICE (National Movement of Victims of State Crimes) were subjected to death threats. These threats come as preparations are under way for a demonstration to be held on 6 March 2012 to mark the National and International Day of Victims of State Crimes, in support of victims of human rights violations and in demand of land restitution.
On 23 August 2011, at approximately 9.30pm, human rights defenders Mr Walter Agredo Muñoz, member of the Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos – CSPP (Colombian Political Prisoners Solidarity Committee), and Ms Martha Giraldo, Secretary of MOVICE – Valle del Cauca branch, both received a text message which stated that “morirán los comunistas disimulados de FARC Nomadesc, CUT, Ecate, Sintraunicol, PCN, Indios perros, MOVICE, presos politicos.
On 3 May 2014, human rights defender Ms Nevys Niño Rodríguez received a threatening text message which warned her to be careful and that she was under surveillance. The day before, the human rights defender noticed that her movements were being followed by a man on a motorbike. These incidents follow repeated threats and acts of intimidation against human rights defenders in Atlántico.
On 15 October 2015, a new pamphlet threatening members of the human rights organisation Movimiento de Víctimas de Crímenes de Estado – MOVICE (Movement of Victims of State Crimes) was near human rights defender Ms Ingrid Vergara Chávez in Sucre's home. Named in the pamphlet were Ingrid Vergara, Mr Juan David Díaz Chamorro, and Ms Candelaria Barrios Acosta and Ms Rosario Montoya.
On 31 July 2017, several organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia reported a new wave of threats and intimidation from members of Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia – AGC, a paramilitary group operating in the country. The group circulated a threatening pamphlet in the municipality of Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, and its surroundings, including the name of several human rights organisations and citing five human rights defenders: Ivan Madero, David Ravelo, Sonia Nevado, Melkin Castrillon, and Maria Ravelo.
On 31 July 2017, several organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia reported a new wave of threats and intimidation from members of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC). The group circulated a threatening pamphlet in the municipality of Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, and its surroundings, including the name of several human rights organisations and five HRDs: Ivan Madero, David Ravelo, Sonia Nevado, Melkin Castrillon, and Maria Ravelo.
On 31 July 2017, several organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia reported a new wave of threats and intimidation from members of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC). The group circulated a threatening pamphlet in the municipality of Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, and its surroundings, including the name of several human rights organisations and five HRDs: Ivan Madero, David Ravelo, Sonia Nevado, Melkin Castrillon, and Maria Ravelo.
On 31 July 2017, several organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia reported a new wave of threats and intimidation from members of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC).
On 31 July 2017, several organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia reported a new wave of threats and intimidation from members of the paramilitary group Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC). The group circulated a threatening pamphlet in the municipality of Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, and its surroundings, including the name of several human rights organisations and five HRDs: Ivan Madero, David Ravelo, Sonia Nevado, Melkin Castrillon, and Maria Ravelo.
On 26 July 2017, members of Análisis Urbano (Urban Analysis) and Corporación para la Paz y el Desarrollo Social – Corpades (Corporation for Peace and Social Development) reported death threats against one of their sources. These threats are the latest act of intimidation in a series of attacks and threats directed at members of their staff and their sources.
On 7 April 2017, a woman close to human rights defender, Marylen Serna Salinas, was abducted, interrogated, beaten, tortured and sexually assaulted by three unidentified men in Popayán, Colombia.
On 30 March 2017, around 10 am., the coordinator of the communications team of El Salmón and reporter of the Programa Radial Reporte Colombia (Radio Program Report Colombia), received death threats during an anonymous call. The threats were linked to his work covering the environmental case against La Colosa and were made while he was providing media coverage of the Public Consultation process in Cajamarca.
On 2 April 2017, human rights defender, José Vicente Murillo Tobo, received a text message and phone calls threatening him as a result of his human rights work in Colombia.
Colombian human rights defender Emilsen Manyoma was last seen with her husband, Joe Javier Rodallega, boarding a taxi in Villa Linda last Saturday. On Tuesday, 17 January 2017, their bodies were found in the neighbourhood of el Progreso in Buenaventura.
On 19 April 2017, Gerson Acosta was killed as he left a community meeting in the Kite Kiwe indigenous territory.
On Tuesday, 20 June 2017, Colombian human rights defender, David Ravelo Crespo, walked out of prison, after 7 years of incarceration. He will continue to fight his legal battles to clear his name and prove that the charges and conviction against him were manufactured to silence him and his human rights work on behalf of some of Colombia’s most persecuted and victimised citizens.
On 6 February 2017, the Public Prosecutor at the court in Garzón recommended that the charges against Colombian human rights defenders, Miller Dussán Calderón and Elsa Ardila Muñoz, be dropped. The Prosecutor also declared that he will give his final verdict on this case on 22 February 2017.
On 2 March 2017, human rights defender Ruth Alicia Lopez Guisao was in Medellín, Colombia, when she was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen.
On 7 January 2017, land rights defender, Mr Aldemar Parra García, was shot by unknown men riding a motorcycle in El Hatillo, Cesar.
On the evening of the 25 July 2016, the paramilitary group Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC) circulated a pamphlet on social media in which they stated their opposition to the peace process and issued death threats to human rights defenders, union leaders and public officials who support it; threatening messages containing the pamphlet were individually sent to the organisation Corporación Regional para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights, CREDHOS) and one of its members.
On 19 November 2016, land and environmental rights defender Mr Hugo Cuéllar was shot five times by two unknown assailants, he survived but remains hospitalised in critical condition. The day before, on 18 November 2016, his colleague Mr Erley Monroy died of wounds inflicted by unknown attackers. Two more grassroots leaders were killed and another human rights defender survived an assassination attempt over the same weekend.
