PBI-Colombia accompanies the CSPP on 1st anniversary of national strike amid ongoing concerns about police violence

On April 28, PBI-Colombia tweeted:

“#Today #A28 anniversary of #National Strike 2021 we accompany one of the verification commissions of @CSPP_ [Committee in Solidarity with Political Prisoners]. The work of #human rights defense organizations is essential, which in the context of the protest ensure guarantees for their exercise and so that #police violence does not repeat itself.”

Earlier in the day, PBI-Colombia also tweeted:

“Today #A28 in Bogotá, one year after the start of the #National Strike 2021 the #Humanitarian Caravan that includes communities from multiple territories of Colombia and #human rights organizations, such as @Nomadesc [the Association for Social Research and Action], march for the #life and declare an #Humanitarian Emergency.”

The Associated Press reports:

“Hundreds returned to the streets on Thursday — in less crowded demonstrations than those of 2021 — in cities such as Bogota, Cali, Medellin and Villavicencio, where tributes to the victims and cultural activities were held. Meanwhile, the government deployed a security operation with more than 50,000 uniformed personnel.”

Vanguardia adds:

“The figures that reflect what actually happened in these two months of protests, are still very difficult to consolidate. While the Prosecutor’s Office indicates that during this time there were 29 homicides, of which 16 occurred in Cali, five in other municipalities of Valle del Cauca, three in Cundinamarca, three in Bogotá and one in Popayán and Ibagué, respectively, the UN Human Rights Office, indicated in its latest report that it received allegations of deaths of 63 people in the context of the protests and that it has verified 46 of them.

A similar situation arises in relation to the facts that have to do with gender-based violence, since the Prosecutor’s Office reports four victims for sexual acts and four more for violent carnal access. However, the latest UN report reported 60 cases of sexual violence allegedly committed by police, of which the Office was able to verify 16.”

PBI-Colombia provided physical accompaniment throughout the national strike last year. For more on that, please see Photo journal: PBI-Colombia accompanies human rights defenders during the national strike.