91 Human Rights Defenders receive death threat

News from Colombia |

The United Nation’s human rights office in Colombia has condemned a death threat sent to at least 91 human rights defenders in Colombia in early September.

The email which was received by dozens contained a “black list” featuring the names of 91 human rights activists currently working within the country. The threat was not signed and no group has claimed responsibility for the threats.

The UN has officially urged the Colombian government to publicly reject the threats and to take measures to assure the protection and safety of those involved in human rights work in Colombia.

In response to the pamphlet, which contained direct threats to the lives of the 91 named workers, the U.N commissioner said that he had worked with many of those featured in the ´blacklist´ and said that “they were making a valuable and legitimate contribution to respect for the rights of people in Colombia”.

The pamphlet received via email described the murder of the activists and their families as the military objective of the unnamed group, and described the intention to “go hunting to put an end to this fairy-tale peace.”

2013 was labelled the worst period of safety for human rights workers in Colombia in Colombian history and saw the murder of 37 human rights defenders in less than 6 months, between January and June 2013.