Stop Intimidation of Those Who Assist Victims of Violence in Colombia

		Stop Intimidation of Those Who Assist Victims of Violence in Colombia Rigoberto Jimenez works courageously on behalf of the estimated four million displaced people who have been forced to flee their homes in Colombia's decades-long civil war. Now he and others are being called terrorists and facing serious threats to their lives because of their work to defend the rights of victims. In the last month, Rigoberto and others have had their offices broken into and have received death threats in person and via telephone and email. The threats against Rigoberto and his organization are the latest in a string of smear campaigns and death threats. In 2005 alone over 40 human rights defenders were killed, many after having received death threats like those received by Rigoberto. You can help stop the acts of intimidation against victims and their advocates by demanding that the Colombian government: 1. Provide protection to Rigoberto to prevent clandestine paramilitary forces from carrying out their death threats; 2. Find those responsible for the threats and prosecute them fully; 3. Desist from saying that paramilitary groups no longer exist while their violent activities continue and enact policies to dismantle the paramilitary structures; 4. Desist from inflammatory remarks equating non-violent human rights defenders with guerrillas; 5. Issue a new Presidential Directive recognizing the importance and value of human rights work. Learn More About This Case>> Click Here to Take Action>> Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this important case. Human Rights First, 333 Seventh Avenue, 13th FloorNew York, NY 10001-5004 http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/