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On 22 and 23 March 2023, the Human Rights Council held a general debate on human rights situations requiring the Council’s attention. States and NGOs spoke, and the High Commissioner spoke on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. They drew the Council’s attention to a number of country situations of concern. ISHR delivered a statement, highlighting the human rights situation in four countries: Burkina Faso, Colombia, El Salvador, and Saudi Arabia.

ISHR and partners called for government-wide reforms in a third-party intervention in a case where the country’s highest court will analyse the general situation of human rights defenders in Colombia.

National and international organisations sent a letter to the new Colombian government with three recommendations to prevent crimes and improve the security of human rights defenders.

ISHR, along with multiple other NGOs, released a joint statement condemning the criminalisation of women human rights defender Milena Quiroz and calling for her right to a fair trial and her right to defend human rights to be guaranteed.

On 16 March 2022, ILEX Accion Juridica and ISHR made a joint statement during the Human Rights Council 49th session, calling upon the Colombian government to to guarantee the Afro-Colombian population’s right to be statistically visible in official information sources.

More than 300 NGOs have called on the Human Rights Council to demand that Colombia respect the right to peaceful protest; investigate violations committed against protestors and defenders in recent weeks and respond to protestors’ demands to deal with poverty, systemic racism, inequalities and impunity in the country.

In two third party interventions, in relation to a case filed by a group of Colombian human rights defenders alleging violations of their constitutional rights, ISHR sought to strengthen legal protections for human rights defenders across the country.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced today the situation for human rights defenders in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras. The absence of the state, legal restrictions, and ineffective practices were highlighted as obstacles that must be urgently tackled by governments.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced today the situation for human rights defenders in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras. The absence of the state, legal restrictions, and ineffective practices were highlighted as obstacles that must be urgently tackled by governments. Spanish version

The alarming number of killings of human rights defenders in Colombia requires that the government resolve its differences with the UN expert on human rights defenders and OHCHR and focus on their recommendations for change.