Ref:  60/35/012

23 April, 2010

Señor Presidente Àlvaro Uribe Vélez

Presidente de la República

Palacio de Nariño

Carrera 8 No.7-26

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

Email: auribe@presidencia.gov.co

Excelentisimo Sr. Presidente Uribe,

Re:  Dr Miguel Angel Beltrán

I am writing to you on behalf of the National Tertiary Education Union of Australia (NTEU) which represents 26,000 staff employed in Australian universities and is an affiliate of Education International.

We are very concerned about the case of Colombian academic Dr Miguel Angel Beltrán who has been detained under high security since May 2009.  We understand that his trial commenced on 12 April 2010, and are extremely concerned that the case may be predetermined and not be conducted in a fair or transparent manner.

It is our belief that Miguel Angel Beltrán is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his public comments and research on the political situation in Colombia, and we reject Government claims that he is a “guerilla”, “a recruiter of terrorists” and “in concert to break the law with terrorists”.  We strongly condemn the actions of the Colombian authorities in detaining Miguel Angel Beltrán for an extensive period of time without charge as a violation of his fundamental human right to freedom of expression and to academic freedom.

NTEU would like you to note the support for Miguel Angel Beltrán from other NGOs including the Universities and Colleges Union – United Kingdom (UCU UK) and the Latin American Sociology Association (ALAS), and respectfully urge you to ensure that independent international observers are allowed to be present at Miguel Angel Beltrán’s trial.

We trust this matter will receive your most urgent attention.

Yours sincerely,

GRAHAME MCCULLOCH

General Secretary

cc  The Hon. Stephen Smith, MP – Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)

Mr Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary, Education International

TRASPASA LOS MUROS: CAMPAÑA PERMANENTE DE SOLIDARIDAD CON LAS DETENIDAS Y LOS DETENIDOS POLÍTICOS

ACCIÓN URGENTE

LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, PRISIONERA POLÍTICA DE CONCIENCIA, PADECE AMENAZA DE TRASLADO POR DENUNCIAR ABUSOS COMETIDOS POR GUARDIANAS DE LA RECLUSIÓN DE MUJERES EL BUEN PASTOR DE BOGOTÁ – COLOMBIA.

La Campaña Traspasa Los Muros denuncia a la Comunidad Nacional e Internacional que el INPEC usa el traslado como represalia contra los prisioneros políticos en Colombia, cuando denuncian violaciones o amenazas de sus derechos fundamentales.

Respaldamos las peticiones de la Prisionera Política LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA y exigimos al Estado Colombiano garantizar sus derechos fundamentales, especialmente su derecho a la cercanía familiar, y en consecuencia ABSTENERSE DE TRASLADARLA a otro sitio de reclusión, puesto que su núcleo familiar reside en la ciudad de Bogotá, lugar donde también se adelanta el proceso penal en su contra, dentro del cual tiene la calidad de SINDICADA, y se encuentra en detención preventiva.

Solicitamos a las Comunidad Nacional e Internacional emitir sus pronunciamientos respaldando la Acción Urgente que ha presentado la Prisionera Política, enviando sus comunicaciones a las direcciones abajo relacionadas.

Para su mayor conocimiento REENVIEAMOS el texto completo de la acción urgente:

***

Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogota, Colombia

Marzo 8 de 2010

Doctor:
FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO

Ministro de Justicia de Colombia

E. S. D.

Coronel (r):

CARLOS ALBERTO BARRAGÁN GALINDO

Director General del INPEC

E.   S.  D.

Doctora:

ANA SOFÍA HIDALGO

Directora Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogota

E.  S.  D.

Doctor:

WOLMAR PEREZ ORTIZ

Defensor Nacional del Pueblo

E.  S.  D.

Doctor:

RÓMULO MURILLO

Procuraduría General de La Nación

E.       S.       D.

Señores:

ORGANISMOS NACIONALES E INTERNACIONALES

DEFENSORES DE DERECHOS HUMANOS

E.       S.       D.

Referencia: ACCIÓN URGENTE

Cordial saludo.

LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, identificada con cédula de ciudadanía No. 30.745.041, Prisionera Política de Conciencia en condición de SINDICADA, actualmente privada de la libertad en el patio 6 de la Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogotá “El Buen Pastor”, con TD 065593, me dirijo a sus despachos para solicitar su ACCIÓN URGENTE, en razón a la persecución que vengo padeciendo por parte de guardianas del INPEC que podrían derivar en un TRASLADO COMO RETALIACIÓN por las denuncias que he interpuesto contra las guardianas DIANA SALINAS, ESPERANZA GAONA, MÓNICA VALVUENA, LEIDY PAOLA ROMERO, ZOILA PEÑALOSA, DAYANA CRISTINA AGUILAR Y MARIA DEL CARMEN MARTÍNEZ LEIVA; temo ser alejada arbitrariamente de mi núcleo familiar, por lo que solicito su intervención inmediata para prevenir violaciones a mis derechos humanos y a los derechos fundamentales de mis hijos menores de edad.

ANTECEDENTES

Soy madre cabeza de familia de los menores de edad CAMILO ERNESTO INSUASTY OBANDO, de 16 años de edad, y LAURA VELASQUEZ OBANDO, de 6 años de edad, quienes siempre han dependido totalmente de mí y han estado bajo mi cuidado; he sido una mujer responsable y trabajadora y me he esforzado por brindarle a mis hijos todo lo que han necesitado, pero en razón a mi detención mis hijos se encuentran a cargo de mi madre de avanzada edad.

Soy Licenciada en Lenguas Modernas de la Universidad de Nariño y Socióloga de la Universidad Nacional, en el momento de mi detención estaba cursando la maestría en “Estudios Políticos y Relaciones Internacionales” en la Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Así mismo, me desempeñaba como defensora de derechos humanos en La Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria (FENSUAGRO).

Estoy siendo judicializada arbitrariamente por los delitos de rebelión y administración de recursos, en razón al trabajo que desarrollaba en defensa de los derechos de los trabajadores del agro, por ello me considero Prisionera Política de Conciencia victima de un montaje judicial.

Fui detenida por órdenes de la Fiscalía General de la Nación el 8 de agosto de 2008, y actualmente ostento la condición de SINDICADA dentro del proceso penal adelantado por el Juez Noveno Penal del Circuito Especializado de Bogotá, OSCAR GUSTAVO JAIMES VILLAMIZAR.

Durante mi detención se me ha negado la casa por cárcel, derecho constitucional al que tengo como madre cabeza de familia.

HECHOS

1. Desde el mes de abril del año 2009 a la fecha, he denunciado el abuso de autoridad que han cometido guardianas en el patio 6 de la Reclusión de Mujeres el Buen Pastor, contra las prisioneras políticas que allí habitamos, tales como requisas degradantes en horas nocturnas, comportamiento hostil, maltrato verbal y psicológico, amenazas verbales de traslado, irrespeto a la dignidad humana, obstrucción de visitas de abogados, engaños con fines de sometimiento a interrogatorios ilegales, decomiso arbitrario de artículos autorizados, entre otros. (Ver denuncias anexas con fecha abril 18 de 2009, septiembre 2 de 2009, septiembre 9 de 2009, diciembre 2 de 2009 y diciembre 30 de 2009).
2. Además de las denuncias escritas, en diferentes oportunidades he denunciado de manera verbal los atropellos de la guardia, especialmente los cometidos a partir del mes de septiembre del año pasado, con la finalidad que se cese el maltrato dado a las prisioneras, especialmente el maltrato al que me han sometido, puesto que he tenido que soportar injurias y señalamientos por parte de la guardia, para lo cual han utilizado información de reserva de mi proceso, ejemplo de ello es el falso y constante señalamiento publico que la dragoneante DIANA SALINAS ha hecho tildándome de ser la amante del abatido miembro de las FARC alias Raúl Reyes, hecho totalmente falso que además viola el debido proceso y la presunción de inocencia.
3. Por mis constantes reclamos se me ha excluido de participar en actividades de derechos humanos que se han realizado en la reclusión y se ha obstaculizado la visita de mis abogados y defensores de derechos humanos que hacen seguimiento a mi condición de reclusión, a quienes les han informado falsamente que yo me opongo a recibir sus visitas.
4. El 30 de diciembre de 2009, las prisioneras políticas fuimos objeto de una requisa arbitraria protagonizada por las funcionarias LEIDY PAOLA ROMERO, ZOILA PEÑALOSA, DAYANA CRISTINA AGUILAR y la teniente MARÍA DEL CARMEN MARTINEZ LEIVA, quien ese día ejercía de  comandante de vigilancia; en desarrollo de dicha requisa fui maltratada físicamente y me fue decomisado un discman que estaba autorizado por las autoridades competentes del establecimiento; ante mis reclamos la guardia optó por presentar una falsa denuncia contra mi, alegando que yo había agredido a las funcionarias y que portaba un mp3, elemento no autorizado en la reclusión. Prueba de la falsa denuncia es que existen testigos que observaron la agresión de la guardia y que funcionarios de policía judicial me devolvieron el discman en el mes de febrero porque si contaba con la debida autorización.
5. Recientemente tuve conocimiento que la teniente MARÍA DEL CARMEN MARTÍNEZ LEIVA ha solicitado mi traslado a otro sitio de reclusión, aprovechando la falsa denuncia que han presentado las guardianas agresoras; esto constituye una represalia en mi contra que amenaza la cercanía familiar y por ende mis derechos fundamentales y los de mis hijos menores de edad, así como mi condición de sindicada.

CONTEXTO

Estos hechos denunciados, especialmente los ocurridos en el mes de diciembre, han desatado la animadversión de las guardias mencionadas hacia mí, quienes mantienen una actitud de venganza por las quejas formales escritas y verbales que he presentado ante sus jefes inmediatos por sus excesos, abusos y trasgresión de su propio reglamento en lo referido a la “relación y trato con las internas” y extralimitación en el ejercicio de sus funciones.

Todas las quejas y denuncias que he presentado las he fundamentado en las disposiciones de la Constitución Nacional, los Códigos Penal y de Procedimiento Penal, el Código Penitenciario y Carcelario (ley 65 de 1993), el Decreto 407 de 1994, las Reglas Mínimas para el Tratamiento de los Reclusos y otras Reglas Internacionales en lo que respecta al trato digno y respetuoso de nuestros derechos humanos como personas privadas de la libertad.

Durante todo el tiempo que he estado privada de la libertad he mantenido una conducta ejemplar, aportando a la convivencia pacifica en el patio 6 donde me encuentro, donde ninguna de mis compañeras de reclusión tiene ni ha presentado queja alguna por mi comportamiento.

Igualmente, en ocho (8) ocasiones he solicitado prisión domiciliaria en mi condición de madre cabeza de hogar, mis hijos menores de edad dependen de mí, sin embargo, las peticiones han sido negadas, y no bastando esta situación, se propone un traslado que desestabilizaría a todo mi núcleo familiar, me alejaría de mis hijos y de mi madre de avanzada edad, y obviamente se constituiría un castigo adicional al que ya padezco con el solo encierro y las limitaciones de mis derechos.

Recuerdo que la responsabilidad primaria de protección de los derechos humanos recae de acuerdo con los principios constitucionales y el articulado de los tratados y Convenios Internacionales sobre el Estado colombiano, al ser éste el sujeto responsable de velar por el cumplimiento de lo consagrado en la Constitución Nacional y por ser el que adquiere los compromisos en materia de derechos humanos y de derecho internacional humanitario ante la comunidad internacional. Por tal razón, su mayor deber jurídico es el de prevenir las violaciones frente a estos derechos y tomar las medidas necesarias para investigar, identificar, juzgar y sancionar a los responsables por su acción u omisión, o tomar las medidas correctivas de carácter administrativo o político que impida que estos crímenes se sigan perpetrando.

PETICIONES

1. Que el Ministerio de Justicia, la Dirección General del INPEC y la Dirección de la Reclusión de Mujeres de Bogota, intervengan urgentemente para que cese el comportamiento de persecución y agresión que he padecido y se me ofrezcan todas las garantías de respeto a mis derechos fundamentales, en consecuencia, NO SE ME TRASLADE DE ESTABLECIMIENTO DE RECLUSIÓN, toda vez que mi núcleo familiar se encuentra en la ciudad de Bogotá y la corte constitucional ha determinado que las y los reclusos deben estar en establecimientos donde se encuentre su núcleo familiar y su proceso, puesto que aún me encuentro en calidad de sindicada y mi proceso lo adelantada un Juez de Bogotá.
2. Que la Procuraduría General de la Nación y la Defensoría del Pueblo ejerzan una vigilancia especial a las denuncias que he presentado y a las investigaciones que se han adelantado contra las funcionarias del INPEC DIANA SALINAS, ESPERANZA GAONA, MÓNICA VALVUENA, LEIDY PAOLA ROMERO, ZOILA PEÑALOSA, DAYANA CRISTINA AGUILAR Y MARIA DEL CARMEN MARTÍNEZ LEIVA, para que se tomen las medidas a que hubiere lugar por su conducta.
3. Que se ejerza una vigilancia permanente para que se garantice que producto de esta denuncia, no se cometerán retaliaciones en mi contra.
4. Que los organismos nacionales e internacionales defensores de derechos humanos, escriban sus cartas de apoyo a esta acción urgente a las siguientes direcciones:

Director Programa Presidencial de DDHH y DIH

CARLOS FRANCO.

E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co.

Asesor: Fernando Ibarra.

Tel.: +57.1.5659797 o 571 5662064

E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

Procurador General de la Nación

ALEJANDRO ORDÓÑEZ MALDONADO

Carrera 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá.

Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23;

E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co, quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; y webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co

Defensor Nacional del Pueblo

VOLMAR ANTONIO PÉREZ ORTIZ

Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogotá.

Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91

E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com; agenda@agenda.gov.co

Director Nacional del INPEC

CARLOS ALBERTO BARRAGÁN GALINDO

Calle 26 No. 27-48, Bogotá.

PBX (57) 2347474 / 2347262

E- mail: reclamos@inpec.gov.co ; Webmaster@inpec.gov.co

Directora Reclusión de Mujeres El Buen Pastor

ANA SOFIA HIDALGO ALVARADO

Cra 47. No. 84 – 25 Barrio Entre Ríos, Bogotá
Teléfono: 6307724 / 6301649 / 6302037 / 2400676 / 6304946
E-mail: rmbogota@inpec.gov.co

Atentamente,

LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA

C.C 30.745.041 DE PASTO

TD. 065593

PATIO 6 RM de Bogotá

Con copia:

• Dra. Ivonne Lagos Díaz, coordinadora grupo de DDHH INPEC
• Dra. Diana Novoa Comisión de DDHH del Senado de la República
• Oficina del Alto comisionado de Naciones Unidas Para los DDHH
• Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
• Fundación Lazos de Dignidad
• Campaña Permanente de Solidaridad con las y los Detenidos Políticos (Traspasa Los Muros).
• Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos Políticos

LA LUCHA SOCIAL NO ES UN DELITO, ES UN PASO HACIA LA LIBERTAD…

¡¡¡PRES@S POLITÍC@S A LA CALLE!!!

Visita: libertadpresxspoliticxs.jimdo.com

Dear students, workers and colleagues of the public and state universities of the country,

From my new prison cell in the high security wing of “La Picota” prison I wish to send a warm greeting, accompanied with renewed hopes of success in the struggles that appear on the horizon in 2010. A year that official tradition dedicates to the celebration of the bicentennial of independence.

It has been more than eight months that I have been in prison under trial for the supposed crimes of ” rebellion” and “concert to break the law with terrorists aims”, in which I have been subject to the flagrant violation of my procedural guarantees; admitting illicit and illegal evidence like the computer of the deceased leader of the FARC, “Raul Reyes”; and incorporating victims of that guerrilla organization as special interveners who have received no concrete, real and specific damage from me.

Not being content with these abuses, on the 23rd of December I was removed under extreme security measures, from the facilities of the national jail “La Modelo”. During two days, my family, lawyers and friends did not know my whereabouts, to the point that they needed to raise the alarm about this situation to some national and international mass media and NGOs. My transfer took place the same day I obtained, after numerous institutional obstacles, the authorization for the visit of my son, whom I had not seen for two years and ” coincided” with the denunciations of corruption that days earlier I had made against a civil servant of the national Prison “La Modelo”.

On the 17th of February the “trial hearing” will go ahead .This is the step prior to sentencing, in a process that has had clearly political aims, and in which critical thinking and the freedom of teaching, principles that distinguished the student movement of Cordoba (Argentina) nearly a century ago, are also on trial.

These events occur in a chain of systematic attacks on the public university community, demonstrated not only in the increasing cuts of financial resources that place knowledge and the education services under the implacable logic of the market,and also violate the fundamental principles – like the freedom of thought and its institutional autonomy.

All of this has been demonstrated by the arbitrary detentions of students, the incursion of the police in the university campus, the murder and disappearance of students, the threats to teachers and professors, the request on the part of the General Office of the public prosecutor of the Nation of the students names pertaining to public universities of Bogota and the proliferation of rebellion accusations levelled at university community members in hasty trials.and with restriction of access to the material of Luis Eduardo Sarmiento.

This situation takes us back to the dark years of the military dictatorships in South America, and becomes even more worrisome with recent government proposals to use a thousand students of Medellín as police informants , thus exploiting for its war interests the economic needs of this important social sector, trying to turn Colombia into a country of informers, and intensifying, the armed and social conflict that President Alvaro Uribe Vélez tries to hide.

The incorporation of students in these military intelligence activities not only denotes an absence of an education project for strategic sectors in the social and cultural development of the nation, but also entails high risks of transforming the university campus into a war zone.

It should be noted that the informant network is one of the fundamental pillars of the ill-named government policy of ” democratic security” that has served to sustain “false positives” (extra judicial killings),the persecution of numerous intellectuals, students, social, popular, and indigenous leaders who at the moment flood the jails of the country. Today we can speak of more than 7,000 political prisoners detained under cruel and overcrowded conditions that the Colombian government tries to ignore with the sophism of having a frontal attack against terrorism.

Against these facts, the university cannot evade its responsibility by using a supposed “neutrality.” On the contrary it must assume the social commitment to lead, from the academic sector, the generation of proposals that help to give solution to the social problems.

It is through open and pluralistic debate of ideas-not of the silence and the adulation of individual thought- that the university can guarantee the fulfilment of its social function and be elevated to a true instrument for social transformation, in the context of an ever changing world.

This becomes even more necessary in a country like ours where – a colleague of the University of Antioquia reminded us, “the people are gagged, plugged and blindfolded, so as not to speak anything, not hear anything and not see anything”, because – in a society riven by internal conflict it turns out to be convenient to keep silence so not to be misunderstood, and moreover it is comfortable to speak the language of those in power, so they will not turn us into the object of their reprisals.

My academic life has closely been linked to the fight for democratic ideals, first as a student, as later as a teacher and now as political prisoner of an establishment that criminalizes committed educational work.

I am thankful to all the students, workers and colleagues of the public university and some private universities who, with their words and actions – in an open or quiet way – have offered valuable solidarity to me. Also I am thankful to the Association of University Professors (ASPU), to the Association of Professors of the University of Antioquia (ASPRUDEA), to the organizations and student work groups, as well as to their alternative media for their untiring commitment for my freedom. This is the commitment to freedom of thought and opinion and the respect for scientific and intellectual work.

Be assured that the campaign that you have developed has not been in vain, and although these bars and armed guards try to scare me and to debilitate my democratic convictions, I guarantee that I will maintain unbroken my critical voice, my commitment to the defence of the public university and the search for political solutions to the armed and social conflict in Colombia.

Fraternally

Miguel Ángel Beltrán Villegas

Associate Professor of Sociology, National University of Colombia

From the “High Security” pavilion of “la Picota” jail, February 1, 2010.

La voz del pueblo

Translated for Peace and Justice for Colombia

We have learned that Colombian political prisoner, Liliany Obando, will have another hearing today THIS MONDAY, DEC. 21ST. Please support her application for Home Detention. This is a basic right frequently given to those accused and convicted of a broad range of crimes, including those jailed for paramilitary and parapolitical activities.

The right to home detention is especially made available to single mothers, like Liliany, who are sole providers for their families.

We are urging people to act now and contact the presiding Judge, Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar.  If at all possible, we suggest people send his office a fax. However, if you are unable to make an international call, please send your message as an email.

SAMPLE EMAIL/FAX:

English version (copy and paste and sign or develop your own)
Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar,
Juez # 9
Via fax & Email,
Your attention:
info@ramajudicial.gov.co
FAX +57-1-323 0102

The Honorable Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar:

I am writing in support of the petition for home detention by Colombian political prisoner, Liliany Patricia Obando Villota.  Ms Obando is a head of household, single mother of two children.  The right to home detention is frequently extended to prisoners in similar circumstances, even to those accused or convicted of paramilitary or parapolitical crimes.  We call on you to do the right thing and grant Ms Obando’s petition for the well-being of her family, especially her children.

I solemnly believe that Liliany Obando this to be her right and that she does not represent any danger to her community. She is an academic and critical thinker whose constitutional rights must be guaranteed.

Yours truly,
Signed by__________________________________________

Spanish version (copie, pegue y firme abajo o envie su propia version)

PAZ Y JUSTICIA PARA COLOMBIA, PJFC-AUSTRALIA

Actualizacion 8   20 de Diciembre2009

SE SOLICITA ACCIÓN INMEDIATA EN APOYO A LA SOLICITUD DE CASA POR CÁRCEL DE LILIANY OBANDO: AUDIENCIA PUBLICA LUNES 21 DE DICIEMBRE 2009 en BOGOTA, COL

Somos del conocimiento que la prisionera política colombiana, Liliany Obando tendrá una audiencia publica este Lunes 21 de Diciembre para dilucidar su caso y la solicitud de detención domiciliaria.

Este es un derecho constitucional dado frecuentemente a aquellos acusados y convictos de una seria amplia de delitos incluyendo aquellos sentenciados por para militarismo y parapolítica. Este derecho a la detención domiciliaria es especialmente concedido a las madres solteras cabeza de familia quienes como Liliany son las únicas sostenedoras de sus familias.

Nosotros le pedimos a nuestros amigos y colaboradores a que actúen ahora y contacten al juez de la Fiscalía a cargo del caso: Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar.  Si fuera posible le pedimos a las personas que le envíen al juez un fax a su oficina. Sin embargo si no les es posible hacer llamadas internacionales o utilizar una maquina de fax entonces les pedimos que envíen un mensaje electrónico.

MUESTRA DE EMAIL/FAX:
(Copie, pegue y firme la muestra o haga su propia versión de carta)

20 de Diciembre de 2009.

Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar,
Juez # 9
Por fax y correo electrónico,
Su despacho:
info@ramajudicial.gov.co
FAX +57-1-323 0102

Distinguido Doctor Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar;

Le escribimos en apoyo a la solicitud de detención domiciliaria presentada por la prisionera política colombiana, señora Liliany Patricia Obando Villota.  La señora Obando es una madre cabeza de familia con dos niños.  El derecho a la detención domiciliaria es extendido con frecuencia a prisioneros en circunstancias semejantes, aun a los acusados o condenados por parapolítica y por actividad paramilitar.  Le instamos a hacer lo correcto y justo y conceda la petición hecha por Liliany Obando por el bien de su familia, especialmente sus niños.
Creo solemnemente que Liliany Obando tiene este derecho y que ella no representa ningún peligro para su comunidad. Ella es una académica y una pensadora critica cuyos derechos constitucionales deben ser garantizados.

Atentamente,

Firma: ________________________

PARA ENVIAR UN EMAIL,

Ponga en el espacio de Asunto:  “Atención Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar, Juez # 9” y Mandelo a la siguiente dirección: info@ramajudicial.gov.co
Envié copia de su mensaje a nuestras siguientes direcciones:
pjfcolombia@gmail.com & sol.net.pp@gmail.com

PARA ENVIAR UN FAX O PARA LLAMAR DIRECTAMENTE:

DR. OSCAR GUSTAVO JAIMES VILLAMIZAR:
TEL +57-1-288 7909, FAX +57-1-323 0102

TO SEND AN EMAIL,
Put in the subject line:
“Atención Dr. Oscar Gustavo Jaimes Villamizar, Juez # 9” and send to: info@ramajudicial.gov.co
Please send a copy to:
pjfcolombia@gmail.com & sol.net.pp@gmail.com

TO SEND A FAX OR TO CALL DIRECTLY:

DR. OSCAR GUSTAVO JAIMES VILLAMIZAR:
TEL +57-1-288 7909, FAX +57-1-323 0102

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

There are more than 7,200 political prisoners in Colombia.  PJFC works in solidarity with all these prisoners, but has a particular concern regarding the case of Liliany Obando. She served as a consultant for FENSUAGRO, the largest union of farmers and farm workers in Colombia.

She was arrested the very week she was to release a report on the murders of FENSUAGRO members by the military and paramilitaries.

Liliany’s case is a flagship case, because she was the first person detained and tried on bogus charges as part of the FARC-política. The FARC-política is an attempt to repress, intimidate and marginalize the political opposition, labor and student movements by falsely linking them to Colombia’s armed rebellion. The basis for this process are emails allegedly discovered in computers recovered after a bombing attack by the Colombian Air Force against a guerrilla peace negotiation camp on March 1, 2008. However, the Colombian Police Officer in charge of the initial investigation has said the computers contained no emails but only documents in Word. The international police agency, INTERPOL, has said that the computer’s files showed evidence of tampering by the Colombian authorities.

Liliany’s case is important for two reasons:

1. If she wins the case, the whole FARC-política process is discredited; but if  she loses,  then a precedent is set for a virtual witch-hunt against the Colombian opposition based on this process.
2. The Colombian government is trying hard to shut down FENSUAGRO by spuriously portraying it as a front for the guerrillas.  A conviction of Liliany will result in a renewed effort against FENSUAGRO, which is already the most persecuted union in Colombia.

In solidarity,
Peace and Justice for Colombia, PJFC.
Websites: www.colombiasolidarity.net  &  www.freeliliany.net
Emails: pjfcolombia@gmail.com & freelilianynow@gmail.com

libertadpresxspoliticxs.jimdo.com

The Permanent Campaign in Solidarity with the Political Detainees transcribes and resends the following:

PUBLIC DENUNCIATION

MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR OF COLOMBIA THREATENS THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WOMEN PRISONERS OF THE TRAMACUA PENITENTIARY OF VALLEDUPAR-COLOMBIA

From The Women Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War of the High Security Penitentiary of Valledupar-La Tramacua:  Before the national and international community we denounce and reject the authoritarianism and abuse of power of the Colombian Senior Minister of the Interior, FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO, as a result of the following deeds:

FACTS

On October 16, 2009, the Minister of the Interior, FABIO VALENCIA COSSIO, abusing his power threatened our Human Rights Representative.  Watching her every move, he prohibited her from continuing to give declarations by phone and ordered a disciplinary process to be opened against her for denouncing over the radio the outrages and inhumane conditions in which we find ourselves, the 104 women detained in La Tramacua, and, equally, the failure to fulfill the promises made to improve our living conditions and to transfer defendants and medium security convicts to prisons near their families.

No less could be expected from an illegitimate and illegal government whose justice comes from a foundation of military intelligence set-ups and the bribery and buying of witnesses.  Moreover, it is a government accused internationally of state crimes, false-positives[i], illegal wiretaps, the stigmatization and the irresponsible targeting of human rights defenders and popular leaders.

The threatening watch of the Minister only shows that he fears that it might be made public that in Colombia there are special “Five Star” jails in which one finds inmates such as his brother, GUILLERMO LEÓN VALENCIA, accused of narcotrafficking and paramilitary activities, who, together with the government allies linked to the para-politica[ii], enjoy privileges and comforts in special pavilions where they have access to cell phones, computers, the internet, visits at various times of the week, food service to the cells and even their own massage therapists.  Meanwhile, we, the 104 women who are in La Tramacua, withstand extreme temperatures of 28 to 35 degrees Celsius (83 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) without access to water and far from our families who cannot visit us due to the long distance and lack of resources.  We are chained hand and foot even to go for an external medical review.

As political prisoners, we stand behind the denunciations and petitions of our Human Rights Representative to dignify our conditions of confinement and the exercise of the right of freedom of expression.

We make a call to national and international Human Rights organizations, to Colombianos y Colombianas por la Paz (Colombians for Peace), that they:

1.    Reject the persecution that confronts the Human Rights Representatives in Colombian jails.

2.    Verify the conditions in which we find ourselves, which we have denounced in previous opportunities.

3.    Send their communications rejecting the reprisals and conditions to which we are submitted to the following Colombian authorities:

President of the Republic

ÁLVARO URIBE VÉLEZ. PALACIO DE NARIÑO

Carrera 8 No.7-2, Bogotá. Colombia

Fax: +57 1 337 5890 / 342 0592.

E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co

Presidential Program for Human and International Rights

Director Carlos Franco.

E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co.

Asesor Fernando Ibarra.

Tel.: +57.1.336.03.11, FAX: +57.1.337.46.67

E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

National Court System

Diagonal 22B (Av. Luis Carlos Galán No. 52-01) Bloque C, Piso 4, Bogotá, Colombia. Fax: + 57 1 570 2000 (extensión 2017).
E-mail: denuncias@fiscalia.gov.co y contacto@fiscalia.gov.co

National Attorney General

ALEJANDRO ORDÓÑEZ MALDONADO

Carrera 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá.
Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23;
E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co, quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; y webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co
National Public Defender

VOLMAR ANTONIO PÉREZ ORTIZ

Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogotá
Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91
E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com; agenda@agenda.gov.co

THE POLITICAL PRISONERS AND PRISONERS OF WAR ARE NOT CRIMINALS!  WE SUPPORT THE HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS!!!

POLITICAL PRISONERS AND PRISONERS OF WAR

PENITENTIARY OF VALLEDUPAR –CESAR “LA TRAMACUA”

Colombia, October 22, 2009

[ii] The “para-politica” refers to the large number of elected officials allied with the administration of Pres. Álvaro Uribe who have been shown to be linked to narcotraffickers and paramilitaries.  For instance, some 40% of Colombian Congresspersons have been arrested or are under investigation for such links.

TO ALL DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE LOVING PEOPLE

Peace and Justice for Colombia (PJFC) calls on you to protest recent actions by Australian and Colombian police agencies that violated the human rights and prisoner conventions of labour activist and political prisoner, Liliany Obando. We denounce the attempts by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to obtain information on organizations and individuals that Ms Obando met while touring Australia. This is an attempt to internationalize the so-called FARC-Politics and criminalize international solidarity.

On 2^nd September 2009, prison guards told Liliany Obando that social services wanted to interview her.  Once at the interview room she was informed the interview would be with personnel from the Colombian General Prosecutor’s office.  In the room she found a woman and two men, one of whom appeared to be a foreigner, waiting.

Ms Obando asked their identities. One introduced himself as Juan Carlos Cortés and said the other two were from the Australian Embassy.  Liliany asked to see their identification and a judicial order.  As they were unable to produce either, Cortés then said he was a member of the Colombian Judicial and Investigative Police (DIJIN).  The other man identified himself as David Nelson of the Australian Federal Police.  They proceeded to ask Liliany about organizations and persons she had met in Australia in 2005 and 2007 during which she represented FENSUAGRO, the largest Colombian union of farmers and farm workers.  When Liliany refused to answer because her lawyer was not present and there was no interrogation order, Cortés claimed her lawyer was waiting outside. He failed however to name her counsel and Liliany continued to insist her rights be respected and chose not to answer. The interview was terminated.

The following day Ms Obando issued a complaint and in doing so discovered that Cortés was really Oscar Leonel Ochoa and the woman was Diana Marlene Plaza, both employees of Colombian national intelligence agency (DAS).  The identity of Australian Federal Police Officer David Nelson was confirmed.

It is shameful to see this cooperation between the Australian Federal Police and the intelligence agency (DAS) of the Uribe regime renowned for its engagement in illegal wiretaps and surveillance of hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, trade unionists, political opposition and Supreme Court judges.  We find it disturbing that the Australian Federal Police is complicit with DAS by investigating the political opposition and vilifying a trade unionist, single mother of two who has been incarcerated for more than 14 months most of it without charge for solely denouncing human rights abuses and expressing her opposing views.

Peace and Justice for Colombia believes that the use of Australian tax payers money by the AFP in this particular matter, not only violates the rights of a Colombian citizen which are guaranteed in the Colombian constitution but it also supports the Uribe regime’s attacks on the Colombian people in particularly the political opposition. This action attempts to criminalize the international solidarity expressed by Australian trade unionists, individuals and religious and community organizations.

PJFC requests that you and your organisation write to the Australian authorities to demand:

• The AFP explains the basis for cooperation with the Uribe administration and its national intelligence agency (DAS).

• The Australian Government and the AFP investigate and take action against alleged agent David Nelson for breaches of international conventions.

• The Australian Government suspends its involvement with the Uribe regime until such time human and trade union rights are protected in Colombia.

Post or fax your messages and letters to:

Hon Brendan O’Connor MP
Minister for Home Affairs
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel:  (02) 6277 7290 orFax: (02) 6273 7098

Tony Negus APM
Commissioner of the AFP
PO Box 401
Canberra City ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6223 3000

Copy your letters to:

Peace & Justice for Colombia,

Email: pjfcolombia@gmail.com

Yours in solidarity,

Peace & Justice for Colombia, PJFC-Australia

www.colombiasolidarity.net

Cc: Tony Negus APM
Commissioner of the AFP
PO Box 401
Canberra City ACT 2601

Dear Minister O’Connor,

We are writing to protest recent actions by Australian Federal Police (AFP) violating international prisoners’ rights conventions and the human rights of labour activist and political prisoner Liliany Obando in Colombia.Ms Obando was hosted at public forum by a range of solidarity, labour and community organisations, including the Socialist Alliance, when she visited Australia as a representative of Colombia’s largest farmers’ union, FENSUAGRO, in 2005 and 2007. Shortly after her return to Colombia in 2007 she was arrested and imprisoned, and has now spent more than 14 months in jail, most of it without charges even having been laid.

We are reliably informed that on September 2, Ms Obando was visited in prison by a man who identified himself as Juan Carlos Cortes, a member of the Colombian Judicial and Investigative Police, a Colombian woman and another man whom Cortes identified as David Nelson of the AFP.

They attempted to interrogate Obando about organisations and individuals she had met during her visits to Australia. When Ms Obando refused to answer because her lawyer was not present and there was no interrogation order, Cortes claimed her lawyer was waiting outside. Ms Obando continued to insist her rights be respected and chose not to answer, and the interview was terminated.

The following day, when Ms Obando made a complaint, she discovered that Cortes was in fact Oscar Leonel Ochoa, an employee of the Colombian national intelligence agency (DAS). The woman was Diana Marlene Plaza, also from DAS, and the identity of AFP officer David Nelson was confirmed.

We strongly protest the conduct of David Nelson, whose participation in the attempted interrogation of Ms Obando makes the AFP complicit in the activities of a regime that is internationally renowned for human rights abuses, including illegal wiretapping and surveillance of hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, trade unionists, political opposition and Supreme Court judges in Colombia.

The AFP has no right or reason to cooperate in the harassment and continuing incarceration of Ms Obando, or any other Colombian citizen who dares to denounce human rights abuses in their country.

Furthermore, we are gravely concerned that the AFP/David Nelson’s participation in the attempted interrogation of Ms Obando was an effort to criminalise the international solidarity expressed by Australian trade unionists, and religious and community organisations.

We ask that:

(i) your government and the AFP investigate and take action against alleged agent David Nelson for breaches of international conventions; and

(ii) the AFP be required to explain to the Australian public, through your office, the basis for its cooperation with Colombia’s government and national intelligence agency.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,

Dick Nichols, Bea Bleile and Margarita Windisch

National Conveners

Australian Federal Police harass Colombian political prisoner

On September 2, 2009, Liliany Obando was visited by David Nelson of the Australian Federal Police (AFP),together with Oscar Leonel Ochoa and Diana Marlene Plaza, both employees of Colombian National Intelligence Agency (DAS). Obando was arrested and jailed on August 8, 2008, charged with two counts of rebellion and managing funds for a terrorist organization.

Liliany Obando is a representative of FENSUAGRO, the largest Colombian union of farmers and farm workers, and visited Australia in 2005 and 2007 as part of a solidarity tour which highlighted the human rights abuses that have been perpetrated by the Colombian government. On the day of the visit, the three people mentioned had at first asked to see Obando on the grounds that they were from social services. Once in the interview room, Obando was informed that the interview would be with personnel from the Colombian General Prosecutor’s office.

Obando’s visitors attempted to intimidate her and gather information about individuals and organisations she had met with while visiting Australia during her solidarity tours.

It is well documented that the Colombian government and its military are engaged in human rights abuses, including widespread jailing of human rights activists and trade unionists.

This action by AFP employee David Nelson clearly shows that the Australian government is more than willing to cooperate in the attempted intimidation of political prisoners held by the Colombian government. Further, this attempt to criminalise international solidarity in Australia is an action that must be condemned.

The Australia–Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN), which has worked hard to build solidarity with the Venezuelan revolution in Latin America is outraged by the actions of the AFP, which are an attack on all solidarity activists and organisations. Campaigning to defend human rights and organising international solidarity is not a crime and should not be subject to “investigation”.

The AVSN demands that:

• the AFP explain the basis for its cooperation with Colombia’s Uribe administration and its national intelligence agency ;
• the Australian government and the AFP investigate and take action against David Nelson for breaches of international conventions;
• the Australian government suspends its involvement with the Uribe regime until such time as human and trade union rights are protected in Colombia.

For media comment, please contact Roberto Jorquera 0425 182994 or Lisa Macdonald 0413 031108.

“In rejection of the persecution against the political opposition
in Colombia through the liberation of the political prisoners and
for the humanitarian exchange”

Justification

The Colombian State has historically and systematically violated Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, through the implementation of strategies and/or policies of war that look for whatever means to put an end to free thinking in our country.  From the physical extermination and disappearances forced on the political opposition in the years of the 70s, 80s and 90s to the accusations, persecutions, fabrications of testimony and the incarceration of all persons who raise their voices in protest.

There exist more than 7,200 persons deprived of their liberty for political motives, that is to say, for having exercised their political opposition to the current regime or for the simple act of living in zones highly affected by the internal armed conflict; these persons are political prisoners, whether it be due to conscience, war, or judicial frame-ups, who for many years have been unrecognized by the Colombian State, with the object of denying the existence of a social, political, and armed conflict, and evading its responsibility to seek a political and negotiated end to the conflict.

In the development of the policy of Democratic Security by its standard-bearer, President Alvaro Uribe Velez, and in his eagerness to show “positive” results, the Colombian state has violated the right to life of more than 1,171 persons who are victims of extrajudicial executions attributed to the national army, and also the right to freedom of thought, increasing the political persecution and incarceration without just cause against intellectuals, teachers, students, unionists, defenders of human rights, among others.  In this way whoever dares to express their critical thinking and opposition is repressed with the tool of the jail. As an example of this we call attention to the unjust detentions and submissions to the judicial processes of the sociologist and Colombian National University professor MIGUEL ANGEL BELTRÁN VILLEGAS, Colombia National University sociologist and defender of human Rights LILIANY PATRICIA OBANDO VILLOTA, the graduate in Social Sciences from the National Pedagogical University and social activist WILLIAN JAVIER DÍAZ RAMIREZ, and hundreds of teachers, university students, journalists and members of the Colombian opposition presently linked to penal investigations with the object of generating terror and exterminating critical thinking.

In rejection of the previous, we invite the National and International Community to take to the streets on the 1st of October, 2009 to celebrate the existence of those who dare to think differently, and to say:  no to more judicial frame-ups, no to the criminalization of critical thinking and social protest, yes to the humanitarian accord and freedom for all the Colombian political prisoners.

General Objectives:

• To denounce the grave crisis the country is suffering in the matter of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
• To reject the criminalization of critical thinking and the persecution against the political opposition in Colombia.
• To make visible the existence of the Colombian political prisoners and to restore them as social activists.
• To demand of the Colombian state the approval of the humanitarian accord and the liberty of all the political prisoners.

Methodology

The 1st of October, 2009, in a simultaneous manner there will take place political-cultural activities at a local, national, and international level.

At the international level:

Different international organizations in Solidarity with Colombia will hold autonomously organized high impact activities in the following cities and countries: Argentina; Australia; Canada; Washington, DC, Tucson, and Chicago, USA; France; and Mexico City, Mexico. (List will be updated as new cities are added).

Equally, the international organizations will publically pronounce their Solidarity with the political prisoners and their families.

At a national level:

There will occur a cultural demonstration in front of the Attorney General of the Nation, the 1st of October, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., in the cities of Armenia, Cali, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Medellín; by means of diverse social and political sectors they will make visible the policies of persecutions and criminalization of the opposition  in Colombia and the problem of the political prisoners, understood to include the prisoners of conscience, victims of judicial frame-ups and arbitrary detentions, and prisoners of war.

Typical cases of the Colombian political prisoners will be made visible in a symbolic manner.

In Bogotá: The meeting place will be at 9:30 a.m., in the principal building of the Attorney General of the Nation located at Diagonal 22B No. 52-01 (ciudad salitre), where it will remain from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. This will be followed by a rally to the “Che” plaza at the National University.

In Armenia, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga y Medellín: Meeting places will be determined autonomously by the regional coordinators, and at 9:30 a.m., will begin the movement to the principal seat of the respective Sectional Directorate of the Attorney General, where it will remain from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

At the local level:

In the city of Bogotá, D.C., the persons deprived of their liberty for political motives, will realize simultaneous recreational and cultural activities in the following detention facilities:  La Picota Penitentiary, La Modelo Jail, and the Buen Pastor Women’s Penitentiary.

Likewise, the political prisoners will draw up a communication to be distributed for the public opinion, in support of the Carnival for the Defense of Critical Thinking.

CONVENERS:

National Organizacions

- Campaña Permanente de Solidaridad con las y los Detenidos Políticas “Traspasa Los Muros”

- Campaña TJER Libertad – Por la Libertad de William Javier Díaz

- Campaña por la Libertad de Miguel Ángel Beltrán Villegas

- Campaña por la Libertad de Liliany Obando

- Cruz Negra Anarquista – CNA

- Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios – FEU

- Mandato Estudiantil por el Acuerdo Humanitario

- Colectivo de Estudiantes de la ESAP

- Colectivo Juana Julia de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia

- Asociación de Profesores Universitarios – ASPU

- Federación de Profesores Universitarios – FENALPROU

- Unión Sindical Obrera – USO

- Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la USO

- Comité Permanente para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos

- Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria – FENSUAGRO

- Coordinación Nacional Agraria y Popular – CONAP

International Organizaciones

International Network in Solidarity with Colombia’s Political Prisoners (International)

Freedom for Liliany Campaign (Australia)

Campaign for Labor Rights (USA)

Alliance for Global Justice (USA)

Colombia Action Network (USA)

Peace and Justice for Colombia, PJFC (Australia)

Central America Solidarity Coalition (Canada)

Colombia Solidarity Campaign (Canada)

Latin America Solidarity Coalition (USA)

Organizations Behind Bars

- Colectivo de Prisioneras Políticas “Traspasa los Muros” – Reclusión de Mujeres el Buen Pastor de Bogotá

- Colectivo de Prisioneros Políticos “Traspasa los Muros” – Cárcel Nacional la Modelo de Bogotá – Alta Seguridad

- Colectivo de Prisioneros Políticos “Traspasa los Muros” – Establecimiento Carcelario y Penitenciario La Picota de Bogotá