Threats Against Colombian Political Prisoner

Urgent action needed!

The International Network in Solidarity with Colombian Political Prisoners (of which the Alliance for Global Justice is a member) is calling for people to take urgent action on behalf of Liliany Obando, a Colombian political prisoner, regarding human rights abuses and threats against her.

Liliany Obando is being subjected to a campaign of harassment by jail officials where she is being held at the Buen Pastor Women’s Prison in Bogotá. Especially troubling is the threat of transfer to another prison far from her family and legal team, where reports of inhumane conditions and even torture are common. Other abuses against Liliany have included verbal and physical assaults and the theft of her personal possessions. These actions are being taken against her because of her work organizing the political prisoners and the many reports she has made regarding mistreatment of inmates. It is urgent that letters of support be written on her behalf as soon as possible. Guards at the Buen Pastor Prison have registered false accusations against Lily that are being reviewed now by government officials. Liliany has countered with an official complaint on her behalf. Decisions regarding these matters could take place any day, so quick action is required.

WE HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT EMAILS AND LETTERS WRITTEN IN SUPPORT OF LILIANY IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN SPANISH ARE BEING THROWN AWAY RATHER THAN FORWARDED THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS. We are asking that people either compose their own letters in Spanish or USE THE SAMPLE SPANISH LETTER PROVIDED.

Liliany Obando is a Colombian trade unionist and human rights defender being imprisoned unjustly, charged with “rebellion” and accused of raising money for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). In fact, she was raising money for FENSUAGRO, the largest federation of farmers and farm workers in the country. The evidence against her has been widely discredited even by international police and the police captain who oversaw the initial investigation of her case. Liliany was arrested the week she wrote a report about the murders of more than 1,500 FENSUAGRO members and organizers during the past 30 years.

FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT LILY’S CASE AND A LETTER BY LILIANY ABOUT HER CURRENT THREATS:

Threats to Transfer Obando

Colombian Activist’s Trial Postponed Again

SAMPLE LETTER IN SPANISH (Please Cut and Paste and send to the following email addresses: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected])

Señores:

FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO
Ministro de Justicia de Colombia

CARLOS ALBERTO BARRAGÁN GALINDO
Director General del INPEC

ANA SOFÍA HIDALGO
Directora Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogota

WOLMAR PEREZ ORTIZ
Defensor Nacional del Pueblo

RÓMULO MURILLO
Procuraduría General de La Nación

Referencia: RESPALDO A LA ACCIÓN URGENTE INTERPUESTA POR LA PRISIONERA POLÍTICA DE CONCIENCIA LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA.

Reciban un cordial saludo.

Nos dirigimos a sus despachos con la finalidad de respaldar la ACCIÓN URGENTE presentada por la Prisionera Política de Conciencia LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, identificada con cédula de ciudadanía No. 30.745.041, actualmente privada de la libertad en el patio 6 de la Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogotá “El Buen Pastor”.

Consideramos arbitraria la detención que padece LILIANY, a quien conocemos por su profesionalismo y por la valiosa labor en la defensa de los derechos humanos que ha realizado; por ello, rechazamos los actos arbitrarios y contrarios a las normas internacionales sobre tratamiento a las personas en reclusión que la guardia de la Reclusión de Mujeres el Buen Pastor viene cometiendo en su contra.

Solicitamos al Estado Colombiano ceñirse al cumplimiento de las normas internacionales en materia de derechos humanos y a la constitución nacional, garantizar los derechos fundamentales de LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, especialmente su derecho a la cercanía familiar, y en consecuencia ABSTENERSE DE TRASLADARLA a otro sitio de reclusión, puesto que su núcleo familiar reside en la ciudad de Bogotá, lugar donde también se adelanta el proceso penal en su contra, dentro del cual tiene la calidad de sindicada, y se encuentra en detención preventiva.

Del mismo modo, instamos a los organismos de control y judiciales colombianos para que investiguen y sancionen las conductas que DIANA SALINAS, ESPERANZA GAONA, MÓNICA VALVUENA, LEIDY PAOLA ROMERO, ZOILA PEÑALOSA, DAYANA CRISTINA AGUILAR Y MARIA DEL CARMEN MARTÍNEZ LEIVA, funcionarias públicas en calidad de guardianas del INPEC de la reclusión de mujeres El Buen Pastor vienen cometiendo contra LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, por ser contrarias a los tratados internacionales, la constitución y a la ley penal colombiana.

Atentamente,

(PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME HERE AND THE NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING ONE)
Country
Address

Con copia:

Director Programa Presidencial de DDHH y DIH
CARLOS FRANCO.
E-mail: [email protected]

Asesor: Fernando Ibarra.
Tel.: +57.1.5659797 o 571 5662064
E-mail: [email protected]

Campaña Permanente de Solidaridad con las y los Detenidos Políticos
“TRASPASA LOS MUROS”
E-mail: [email protected]
Bogotá – Colombia

ON A RELATED NOTE, PLEASE READ THESE REPORTS FROM FENSUAGRO ABOUT FARMERS’ STRUGGLES IN COLOMBIA (Most of these have been the subject of several AFGJ Action Alerts in recent months):

Indigenous and Rural Communities on the Move in Putumayo and Nariño

Colombian Peasants Struggle

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