This month, we update you on developments in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and Venezuela.
The UN Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders has denounced the killing of indigenous human rights defenders in Colombia. It is believed the killings were carried out by a non-state actor, believed to be a dissident FARC. Meanwhile, Amnesty International has published its 2021 Annual Report on Colombia, analyzing the slow implementation of the peace process and the situation of indigenous, gender, and LGBT+ rights, attacks on human rights defenders.
In Brazil, the number of civilians killed because of police intervention in Rio de Janeiro has more than quadrupled between 2013 and 2019. Amnesty International has submitted a report to Brazil’s Universal Periodic Review, which will take place in November. According to Amnesty International’s latest Annual Report, Peru has recorded the world’s highest number of COVID-19 per million people.
In Argentina, health professional Miranda Ruiz, who guaranteed access to legal abortion in the city of Tartagal in Argentina’s province of Salta, is being investigated by the criminal prosecutor despite abortion being legalized a year ago. During the 49th session of the Human Rights Council, Amnesty International expressed its concern regarding the human rights situation in Venezuela.
You can now access and download the Amnesty International Annual report 2021/2022.
Find out more.
COLOMBIA
The UN rapporteur for human rights defenders has denounced the killings of indigenous Nasa human rights defenders by a non-State actor, believed to be dissident FARC. This follows the killing of four Nasa indigenous Guardians by the same non-State armed group in the last week of January. “It is extremely worrying and shocking that children are direct victims of these attacks.” Non-State armed groups continue to recruit children, abducting a 14-year-old Nasa boy.
Spain’s leading newspaper El País reports that the Colombian government’s claim to have ‘neutralised’, i.e. killed, 11 members of dissident FARC in a town near the border with Ecuador has been contested by locals and the Defender of the People. They claim that these were mainly local civilian leaders and their families. This raises the spectre of a return to ‘false positives’, when the army killed innocent civilians and then claimed they were armed guerrillas.
Peace Brigades International explores recent investigations by the transitional justice system (JEP), set up under the Peace Accords, into human rights abuses against environmental rights defenders in Magdelena Medio region. Local communities have long opposed extractive industries which have damaged the environment and provided them with no monetary benefits.
Amnesty International’s 2021 Annual Report on Colombia analyses: the slow implementation of the Peace process; the military’s profiling of 57 journalists as part of its campaign ‘truth in a sea of lies’ and the attacks on 402 press workers; excessive use of force by the police; arbitrary detention and torture; the situation of indigenous, gender and LGBT+ rights; attacks on human rights defenders; forced displacement and confinement of 100,000 people in the year; impunity; and refugee and migrants’ rights. [Read more…]
In the January newsletter we reported that Amnesty International had published a new briefing document, Turkey, Turn Words Into Actions setting out the increasingly worrying situation regarding violence against women in Turkey and reminding the government there of its obligations. As we move towards this year’s International Women’s Day, on 8 March we are working with colleagues in AI Germany to send a common message to the Turkish government focussing particularly on the role of the judicial authorities and police.
