Update from Amnesty International Urgent Actions:
Since December 2018, the human rights defender and leader of the Black Community Process (Proceso Comunitario Negro, PCN) in Buenaventura, Danelly Estupiñán, had been under increasing surveillance from unknown men while she was at her home and when she was outside for her daily activities. More recently, on 6 July, unknown men broke into her house violating its door security while she was away.
Following national and international pressure, on 28 August, Danelly met with Fabio Espitia, Colombia’s General Attorney, a representative from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country and a lawyer of the PCN. The Prosecutor agreed to appoint a special prosecutor to head the investigations. The National Prosecutor also agreed that Danelly can have direct contact with his staff and follow up on the status of the investigations.
Finally, the Prosecutor reaffirmed that the investigation had a national character, validating the commitments made as a result of a dialogue established between several civil society organizations and the national government after a civic strike in 2017 in Buenaventura.
We will continue to monitor Danelly’s security situation and will swiftly react if there is any new incident in the future.
