Colombia: Human Rights Defender, David Ravelo Crespo, in detention

Hi there

Just found this message on the pbi website (where it's published in Spanish, so the following is my own translation):











15 Sep 2010

News Flash: 

Human Rights Defender, David Ravelo Crespo, in Detention

Social Forum of Barrancabermeja and Magdalena Medio [Colombia], 15 Sep 2010

Today, on 14 Sep 2010, at 3:05pm, various officers of the Fiscalía General de la Nación, the Colombian General Attorney, arrived at the headquarters of CREDHOS, the Regional Corporation for the Defense of Human Rights, in the city of Barrancabermeja, presenting a warrant for the arrest of Human Rights Defender, David Ravelo Crespo, a member of the CREDHOS management committee and outstanding community leader in the Magdaleno Medio region of Colombia.

[…]

In our view, the prosecution and detention of David Ravelo Crespo is part of the Colombian state's strategy to legally prosecute social leaders and human rights defenders in an attempt to silence those it has not been able to intimidate by weapons. Therefore, the state resorts to other strategies to weaken their resolve to fight on for social justice. In return for cash and the benefits afforded by the so-called "Law for Justice and Peace", paramilitaries detained in Colombia's prisons have been making false, libellous and injurious allegations against leaders of social, community and unionist movements, against human rights defenders, against victims' and small-holding farmers' organisations.

Moreover, according to the latest bulletins issued by the General Attorney, we have been able to ascertain that the DAS – Administrative Department for Security – has ordered to push for the legal prosecution of male and female defenders of human rights, using construed, fictitious accusations, in order to put behind bars those who are opposed to the national government.

We, the social organisations, defenders of human rights, labour unions, associations of victims, communities and small-holding farmers in Barrancabermeja and Magdalena Medio, trust that due process will be observed and that David Ravelo Crespo's rights as a citizen will be respected.

We express our solidarity with and unconditional support of David Ravelo Crespo and his family. We know that David is someone deeply committed to human rights and to the victims of the political, social and armed conflict that has been afflicting Colombia.

Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Medio, 14 Sept 2010"