Urgent Action Call from Colombia

Call for urgent action for a political prisoner in Colombia.  The Breaking Down the Walls Campaign and the Ties of Dignity Foundation send this URGENT ACTION so that the Colombian government guarantees human dignity and the right to life, integrity and personal security of political prisoner NORBEY TRIVIÑO, according to the following background:

1. On April 29, 2012, around noon, NORBEY TRIVIÑO, who is being held in Patio 7 of La Dorada (Caldas) Maximum Security Prison, was a victim of physical aggression with a weapon by other inmates, resulting in serious injuries.
2. The health status of the victim is unknown, as are the reasons for having a weapon in a maximum security facility.

WE HOLD THE COLOMBIAN STATE AND THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE

This aggressive act is the responsibility of the Colombian State, the head of the National Penitentiary Institute (INPEC), and the national government, for breaching international humanitarian law that requires all states to ensure political prisoners are held in special institutions (apart from the general prison population).

INPEC denies the existence of political prisoners, at the direction of the national government, which obligates them to be held alongside prisoners associated with paramilitarism and common crimes, demonstrating the absence of guarantees to protect the rights to life and personal security of political prisoners.

At the same time, the presence of arms inside prisons is forbidden and is the responsibility of INPEC, particularly in maximum security prisons, where prisoners’ rights are restricted. In this case, the application of restrictions was insufficient to protect the life and personal security of political prisoner NORBEY TRIVIÑO.

DEMANDS

1. The Colombian State must establish special institutions for the retention of political prisoners, according to the norms of humanitarian and human rights law.
2. The Public Defender and Attorney General of Colombia must urgently verify the state of health of political prisoner NORBEY TRIVIÑO and demand that INPEC guarantee his human dignity and rights to life, integrity and personal security.
3. Investigations must be undertaken to determine responsibility, and punish the prisoners responsible for the attack, as well as the guards that may have let it happen.

CALL TO SOLIDARITY

We ask all media, national and international human rights organizations, social movements and those in solidarity to spread this urgent action and support our demands by sending letters to the following Colombian authorities:

JUAN MANUEL SANTOS CALDERÓN
Presidente de la República de Colombia
Carrera 8 No. 7 -26 Palacio de Nariño Bogotá
Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

ANGELINO GARZÓN
Vicepresidente de la República de Colombia
Carrera 8 No.7–57 Bogotá D.C.
Teléfonos (57 1) 444 2120 – 444 2122
Fax: (57 1) 596 0651
E-mail: contactovicepresidencia@presidencia.gov.co

FEDERICO RENGIFO.
Ministro de Justicia y del Derecho de Colombia
Carrera 9a. No. 14–10 – Bogotá, D.C.
e-mail: ministro@minjusticia.gov.co
PBX (+57) 444 31 00 Ext. 1820

ALEJANDRO ORDOÑEZ MALDONADO
Procurador General de la Nación
Cra. 5 No.15 – 80F Bogotá D.C.
anticorrupción@presidencia.gov.co

WOLMAR ANTONIO PEREZ ORTIZ
Defensor del Pueblo
Calle 55 # 10–32, Bogotá
Fax: (+571) 640.04.91
E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com