According to a report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW), at least 33 social leaders and human rights defenders have been assassinated in Colombia in the first three months of 2023, according to Juan Pappier, acting deputy director of HRW for the Americas, in your Twitter account.
The HRW report indicates that the crimes occurred in different departments of the country, with the Pacific region being the most affected. In Nariño, 6 cases were registered, 5 in Cauca, 3 in Valle del Cauca and 1 in Chocó. In Bolívar, César, Magdalena and Sucre, there were two crimes each, and in Antioquia, Arauca, Atlántico, Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, La Guajira, Norte de Santander, Putumayo and Santander, there was one murder in each.
The murdered leaders were from different sectors of society, including community, indigenous, peasant, victim, LGBTIQ+, Afro-descendant, and youth leaders, as well as an official from the Ombudsman’s Office.
The Pacific region has been especially vulnerable to violence due to the presence of dissidents from the FARC, the National Liberation Army, and criminal gangs fighting for territorial control and drug trafficking routes.
The situation of violence in Colombia has been the subject of concern of different international human rights organizations, which have called attention to the need to protect social leaders and human rights defenders in the country.