Among the most severe attacks against the Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights (CREDHOS) in 2016, the following are worthy of note:

Threats and acts of aggression

• 18 July: Iván Madero, president of the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS), received a telephone call at 3 p.m. in which he was threatened: “he’s going to kill you, and he knows all about your family, and you should stop being a snitch and bringing claims. Stop getting into things that don’t concern you. He’s going to wait for you – you have 48 hours to leave the city.” At 3:06 pm, Andrés Ortiz, a human rights promoter with CREDHOS, received a call from another number, from someone who insulted him and Iván Madero and repeated the threat made earlier. Later on, Madero received a text message which said:“you keep on reporting you s.o.b. we know where your whole family is and if you keep meeting snitches in your office we’ll bomb you, you dog s.o.b.”[1]
• 25 July: Public statement from the Gaitanista Self-Defence Forces (Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia – AGC) which speaks of“selective assassination of guerrilla collaborators, trade unionists, human rights defenders and other public officials who collaborate on this”. It was sent to several defenders through a social network, including Maria Ravelo of Andas[2].On the same day, Andrés Ortiz (CREDHOS), received a threat with a personal message: “we are watching your publications every day, be careful”[3]. The AGC, however, denied that they were behind these threats on their website on 26 July.”[4]
• 5 August: Andrés Ortiz (CREDHOS), found a note that had been slipped under the door to his house which read: “Old man don’t go beneath the high bridge today, they want to fuck you up”. The elevated bridge which the note referred to was on Andres Ortiz’ regular route to go to his office.[5]
• 18 August: Death threat against José Guillermo Larios, a member of CREDHOS. The message was sent though a social network to Mr Larios’ daughter, in which he was warned that his family was being followed and kept under surveillance.[6]

Tracking and surveillance

• 9 September: At 7.49 am, Andrés Ortiz (Credhos), as he was leaving his house, saw alias ‘Pepichuy,’ a sicario or hired assassin from Barrancabermeja, go past on his motorcycle apparently doing surveillance on the defender’s house.[7]

Footnotes:

[1] CREDHOS: Proceso Penal: Solicitud de Medida de Protección, Numero Radicado 680816000136201604041, Barrancabermeja, recibido 19 July 2016. CREDHOS, Comunicado Junta Directiva – Corporación Regional Para la Defensa de los Derechos CREDHOS, Barrancabermeja, 19 July 2016
[2] Maria Ravelo – Youtube: Denuncia por parte de Maria Ravelo de ANDAS en Telepetroleo, 25 July 2016
[3] CREDHOS: Denuncia Pública a la Fiscalía General de la Nación, Barrancabermeja. Número de Radicado: 680816000136201604156, 28 July 2016
[4] Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia: Comunicado, 26 July 2016
[5] CREDHOS: Denuncia Pública a la Fiscalía General de la Nación, Barrancabermeja, Número Radicado: 680816000136201604452, recibido el 5 August 2016
[6] CREDHOS, Denuncia Pública a la Fiscalía General de la Nación, Barrancabermeja, Número Radicado: 20167420020942 recibido el 19 August 2016
[7] CREDHOS: Denuncia Pública a la Fiscalía General de la Nación, Barrancabermeja, Número de Radicado: 20167420033392 received 9 September 2016