36 MEPs, of different nationalities and political groups, addressed their concern about the current risks for defenders of the rights of indigenous peoples, afrodescendant communities, small-scale farmers, students, young people and women, especially in regions historically affected by the internal armed conflict, such as the department of Cauca.
They call upon the Colombian government to provide security guarantees to the entire population so that they can exercise their fundamental right to protest. they urge the Colombian State to increase and guarantee the protection and safety of all social and political leaders, social activists and defenders of the environment and rural communities. They also call for criminal and disciplinary investigations to be initiated into the reported human rights violations, for the investigations to be carried out with due diligence, seriousness and speed, guaranteeing the participation of victims. They urge the State to issue up-to-date, transparent public data on these procedures, the status of investigations, the criminal and disciplinary charges brought, and measures to ensure nonrepetition.
