Rapid Response Network

the murder of human rights defender Sinar Corzo Esquinca inArriaga, Chiapas. At 9:45pm on January 3, he died instantly close to his home when unidentified men on a motorcycle shot him in the head at close range.

Armed attack on human rights defender Alfamir Castillo Bermúdez near Pradera Municipality in Valle del Cauca Department.

Raid on December 21 of independent television news channel 100% Noticias in Managua and the arrest of two of its journalists: Miguel Mora Barberena, the station’s owner and director, and Lucía Pineda Ubau, the station’s news director. The channel has been banned from broadcasting.

Assassinations of six social leaders that have occurred during the first week of 2019.

Recent attack on indigenous leader Alejandro Pascal Pai and his wife. Alejandro Pascal Pai was recently elected Awá governor of the Pingullo Sardinero community in Barbacoas municipality, Nariño Department.

Ongoing criminalization and judicial harassment of Juana Carranza, a member of the Reyes Rodríguez Arévalo Campesina Cooperative, which is affiliated with the Yoro regional branch of the National Field Workers Office (CNTC) in El Progreso, Yoro Department.

Assassinations of Awa indigenous leaders Hector Ramiro García and his son, Arturo García, on December 2 in Ricaurte, Cundinamarca Department.

Increasing harassment of members of the indigenous association Central Campesina Ch’ortí Nuevo Día (CCCND) involved in environmental defense, including surveillance of CCCND Coordinator Norma Sánchez, threats to member Ubaldino García, and the murder of member Elizandro Pérez.

Sentencing of Q’eqchi’ environmental defender and community leader Bernardo Caal Xol to 7 years and 4 months in Cobán prison for his nonviolent resistance against the Oxec I and Oxec II hydroelectric projects on the Cahabón River in Alta Verapaz Department (cf our letter of June 26 2018).

Escalating armed assaults and murders of social leaders and human rights defenders that have occurred in Colombia in 2018. We are calling for justice in the assassinations of Edwin Dagua Ipia and Gilberto Antonio Zuluago Ramirez, and the armed attack on German Valencia, all which occurred in Cauca Department this month.