{"id":14679,"date":"2023-11-10T10:22:24","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T10:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/colombie-loiad-intervient-devant-la-cidh-pour-denoncer-la-persecution-des-avocates-dasocolemad\/"},"modified":"2023-12-13T11:15:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T11:15:36","slug":"colombia-the-observatory-intervenes-before-the-iachr-to-denounce-the-persecution-of-asocolemad-lawyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/en\/colombia-the-observatory-intervenes-before-the-iachr-to-denounce-the-persecution-of-asocolemad-lawyers\/","title":{"rendered":"COLOMBIA: The Observatory intervenes before the IACHR to denounce the persecution of ASOCOLEMAD lawyers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The International Observatory for Endangered Lawyers denounced the harassment and persecution suffered by women lawyers of the Colombian association \u201cColectivo Mujeres al Derecho (ASOCOLEMAD)\u201d<\/strong> and urges the Colombian authorities and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to adopt precautionary protective measures.<\/p>\n

Alfredo Irujo, member of the Observatory\u2019s board, exposed on Monday 6 November, at the public hearing before the IACHR, the reprisals against the members of ASOCOLEMAD in northern Colombia, \u201cvictims of surveillance, harassment and persecution since 2014\u201d due to \u201ctheir professional work in defence of human rights\u201d.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAmong the detected risk incidents, the attempted kidnapping and forced disappearance of the son of the lawyer and coordinator of the Association, Luz Romero<\/strong>, in December 2019, which led to a period of exile for both of them, stands out for its seriousness,\u201d Irujo denounced.<\/p>\n

After more than two years without any progress in the investigations, the Attorney General\u2019s Office closed the complaint. Therefore, the OIAD \u201curged the Colombian government to take all necessary measures to guarantee the safety and physical and psychological integrity of ASOCOLEMAD members\u201d, remarked the representative of the Observatory.<\/p>\n

Among the precautionary protection measures in the field of justice, the OIAD calls for the creation of a commission to investigate criminal complaints of threats against women defenders.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Observatory has also requested the implementation of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the recommendations of the Truth Commission Report, the report of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Territorial Violence and the \u201cColombia en Riesgo\u201d Report, as well as an analysis of the efficiency of the National Protection Unit, in order to establish efficient protection schemes agreed with the beneficiaries.<\/p>\n

The Observatory has also published international alerts and sent letters to the National Protection Unit and the Prosecutor\u2019s Office informing them about the several attacks and risk incidents suffered by these lawyers, without having obtained satisfactory responses to lawyers\u2019 needs to date.<\/p>\n

You can watch the recording of the public hearing before the IACHR at the following link (from the minute 2:23)<\/p>\n

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