In 2018, the UN Human Rights Council conducted its third regular Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Colombia. During the UPR, Colombia received and accepted 28 recommendations for protection of human rights defenders, including lawyers.
In September 2021, LRWC joined Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and the Colombian Caravana in a mid-term report to the UN Human Rights Council analyzing how Colombia has implemented the recommendations it accepted for effective protection of human rights defenders and the duty to conduct investigations against threats, attacks and killings of defenders, including lawyers, in order to hold the perpetrators accountable.
The joint report concludes that Colombia has not adequately adopted measures required for the effective protection of human rights defenders and has failed to conduct timely and impartial investigations into threats and attacks against defenders.
Since May 2018, a number of defenders have been harassed, threatened, and subjected to illegal surveillance, especially those involved in cases against (former) Colombian army or State officials. This inaction has fostered the persistence of a hostile climate and security threats against defenders, and has affected their ability to perform their duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference, contrary to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
The report urges Colombian authorities to implement the recommendations it accepted during the 2018 UPR. See the full report.
