"Re: Urgent action required to guarantee the rights and safety of defenders, social leaders, and communities in the context of COVID - 19 pandemic and obligatory social isolation measures", 4th May 2020

...The undersigned civil society organizations urgently implore the National Protection Unit (UNP) to guarantee the rights of human rights, environmental, and land defenders, including social leaders and journalists. We call on the UNP to adopt all measures necessary to protect their life and work in the context of the current social, economic, and health emergency, especially given that for many of them, the level of risk and vulnerability has increased in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result of the policies adopted by the Colombian government. 

We urge the Unit to: (1) comply with all of its legal, constitutional, and international human rights obligations in a timely manner, taking into account the context of the social, economic, and health emergency; (2) reevaluate the panorama of risk in light of this context and ensure that the Unit is responding to potential changes in security needs, taking into account the ways in which new policies and restrictions impact defenders’ security; (3) respond to the needs of the specific cases profiled herein... 

We recognize that the Colombian national and regional governments face difficult decisions in confronting this crisis, and commend actions taken to ensure the health and wellbeing of the Colombian population, including nationals and residents. However, we impress on the importance that the Colombian government guarantees the rights of social leaders, defenders, and at-risk communities in the context of this health crisis.

We remind the UNP that since the State of Emergency was declared and the quarantine measures were put in place in Colombia, there have continued to be threats, attacks, and murders of human rights defenders and social leaders; as of today, it is estimated that at least 20 defenders and social leaders have been murdered since the State of Emergency was declared...