The alarming number of killings of human rights defenders in Colombia requires that the government resolve its differences with the UN expert on human rights defenders and OHCHR and focus on their recommendations for change. 

Recent criticism by Colombia of the findings of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Michel Forst and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) has drawn focus away from the real issue at hand – the continuing, alarmingly high number of killings of human rights defenders.  The presentation of Forst’s report on his 2018 mission to Colombia this week to the Human Rights Council, should be followed up by a second visit before the end of Forst’s term in May, as he himself has requested. 

Raphael Viana David of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) said that Colombia's disagreement with UN bodies and experts needed to be dealt with urgently.  

‘Colombia rightly invited the Special Rapporteur to visit the country and provide the State with advice. Now’s the time to take it,' he noted.  

The situation for human rights defenders in the country remains grave. OHCHR documented the killing of 108 human rights defenders in Colombia in 2019; with a doubling of the number of women defenders killed, compared to 2018.  The Special Rapporteur noted that this was the highest level of killings of defenders in Latin America. This point, along with others, Colombia challenged.  Following this, a second visit of Forst ahead of reporting to the Human Rights Council was not scheduled.  

Colombia has also been critical of the work of the OHCHR office in the country, despite a recent renewal of its mandate.  Last week, ISHR joined 430 Colombian NGOs and 41 international NGOs to express support  for the work of the Office.  

‘Civil society mobilisation in support of the Office has been significant’, noted Viana David. 'It is clear that the work of the Office is held in high regard by many human rights defenders in the country’. 

During the interactive dialogue with Forst at the Human Rights Council, Colombia was emphatic that protection of human rights defenders remained one of ‘the highest priorities of government’.  

‘A practical way of making this evident would be to invite Forst back for a follow up visit now,’ said Viana David, ‘In addition, it should consider scheduling visits for other Special Rapporteurs who, over years, have requested access to the country.’

Contact: Raphael Viana David: [email protected] (Geneva); Eleanor Openshaw: [email protected] (New York)

Photo: Flickr, Jean -Marc Ferre

List of recent requests by Special Procedures to visit Colombia: (source OHCHR)