ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT AND PHYSCIAL ILL-TREATMENT OF MS. YORMAN RODRÍGUEZ

October 27, 2003 – (OMCT Appeal) The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria FUENSAGRO-CUT, Corporación Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo, Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos, and Comité de Solidaridad con Presos Políticos, all members of the OMCT Network, of the attempted sexual assault and physical ill-treatment of Ms Yorman Rodríguez by the Police of the Municipality of Colosó in the department of Sucre and the seizure of her husband’s – Ruddy Robles Rivero, secretary of SINDIAGRICULTORES - mobile telephone, on 23 October 2003 in Colombia.

According to the information received, on 23 October 2003, Ms Yorman Rodríguez, was approached at a police checkpoint located at the road between Tolú Viejo and Colosó (a place known as la Siria), where the officials in charge, after trying to sexually assault and physically ill-treat her and to press her to “collaborate with the police power” through a long interrogation, seized the telephone she had with her, a Nokia 5120 from Bellsouth, which was given to her husband Ruddy Robles Rivero by the Programa de Protección a Líderes Sociales del Ministerio del Interior (Program of the Ministry of Internal Affaires for the Protection of Social Leaders). When Ms Yorman Rodríguez handed over the telephone and made clear where it came from (showing the contract and user card), the officials insulted her, made fun of her observations and addressed her as a subversive. The officials seized the telephone and gave her only the battery back.

Background information

According to the information received, on 14 October 2003, Mr Ruddy Robles was arbitrarily arrested during morning hours in the municipality of Colosó, and taken to the Police Station in the same municipality. However, no arrest warrant was shown and the reasons for this arrest are unknown to this date.

Furthermore, on 28 July 2003, Mr Robles was one of the persons that read the report about the situation of human rights in the Montes de María region, before a Verification Commission composed by Non-Governmental Organisations, Government representatives, and the United Nations (which had traveled expressly to participate in the Commission).

OMCT expresses its concern for the serious violations of human rights faced by social, peasant and union leaders, in this case extended to the wife of one of them, in the region of Montes de María, a situation that has grown worse, reports point out, since the visit of a Humanitarian Mission to the region.

Actions requested

Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:

i. take all the necessary measures to guarantee the life and personal integrity of Mrs. Yorman Rodríguez, her husband and children;

ii. immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation into these alleged aggressions against union leader Ruddy Robles, now extended to his wife Yorman Rodríguez, taking into account that Ruddy Robles is one of the union leaders protected by measures and programs under the responsibility of the Colombian State; in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;

iii. return the telephone to its legitimate user as soon as possible;

iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

- S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 n°.7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71 e-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co ; Vicepresidente: E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

- Doctora Martha Lucía Ramírez de Rincón, Ministro de la Defensa,Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Santa fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74; E-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co ; mdn@cable.net.co

- Doctor Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Carrera 5 No. 1580, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23; E mail: reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co

- Dr. Carlos Franco, Director del Programa Presidencial de DerechosHumanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co

- Dr. Fernando Ibarra, Asesor del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. E-mail :fibarra@presidencia.gov.co Calle 7 N° 5-54 TEL. : (+57 1) 336.03.11FAX : (+57 1) 337.46.67

- Doctor Luis Camilo Osorio, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22 B n°. 52-01, Santa fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+57 1) 570 20 00;contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co

- Dra. Elba Beatriz Silva, Directora de la Unidad de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Fiscalía General de la Nación E.mail: elbsilva@fiscalia.gov.co

- Doctor Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz. Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 n°. 10-32 Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: (+ 57 1) 640 04 91 E mail:secretaria_privada@hotmail.com

- Misión Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra.Chemin du Champ d'Anier 17-19, 1209 Ginebra. FAX : (+41 22)791.07.87; (+ 41 22) 798.45.55. E-mail mission.colombia@ties.itu.int

Please also write to the embassies of Colombia in your respective country.

Geneva, 27 October 2003

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

From: http://www.omct.org/displaydocument.asp?DocType=Appeal&Index=3753&Language=EN