Colombia: International Mission Releases Human Rights Report

The International Observation Mission for Guarantees of Social Protest and Against Impunity in Colombia, known as SOS Colombia Mission, delivered Thursday the final report of its visit between July 3 and 12.

Since the delivery of the preliminary report, the SOS Colombia Mission maintains that what happened cannot be considered only as disproportionate display of violence by state security forces, but that those who have made use of their right to social protest have been victims of serious crimes against humanity in light of International Human Rights Law.

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The report addressed the numerous human rights violations that were documented during their visit: selective homicides, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, gender-based violence, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, among others.

The researchers also signaled the arbitrary prosecutions, stigmatization, persecution and obstruction of the work of human rights defenders, alternative media, photographers and medical brigades.

The document was put together using more than 70 reports produced by local and regional organizations and recorded more than 180 direct complaints from victims in the framework of the National Strike.

"International observation mission delivered final report on human rights violations during the national strike in Colombia." 

In conclusion, the members of the mission found that the different methods of repression make up what they call a scenario of serious and generalized human rights violations in the regions of the country they visited.

In addition, they emphasized that during the mobilizations, the security forces used combat and warfare techniques.

In the face of what they call a humanitarian emergency and a grave human rights crisis, the mission puts forward six main recommendations and fifty immediate actions or short-term measures directed at the Colombian government.

The report will be disseminated internationally by the organizations and individuals who participated in the monitoring of the situation in the country as part of the S.O.S. Colombia Mission.