Republican News · Thursday 27 June 2002

Irishmen's lawyers in Colombia on death list

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has expressed her concern over threats made to human rights defenders in Colombia, including the Lawyers Collective representing the three Irishmen held in Bogota.

Recently, the members and directors of the "Jose Alvear Restrepo" Lawyers Collective were subjected to public threats in an anonymous poster campaign orchestrated by right wing paramilitaries.

In a statement issued from her office in Geneva, the High Commissioner called for an intensification of efforts to protect the defenders of human rights in Colombia.

She expressed her profound concern "at the increase in hostility and violence against human rights defenders in Colombia". She said the commitment and moral integrity of the Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyers Collective and the Popular Feminist Organisation were damaged by the serious allegations made against them.

"This contributes to a climate in which criminals feel they can threaten and attack human rights defenders with impunity," she said. "I have personally seen the commitment and courage of the Colombian human rights defenders who, in spite of horrendous violence and permanent instability, continue to work tirelessly to build peace and respect for fundamental human rights in the country." Said Mrs. Robinson.

The Bring them Home campaign, which is seeking the return to Ireland of Niall Connolly, Jim Monaghan and Martin McCauley, who are facing charges of training FARC guerrillas and using false documents, said that the threats against their lawyers makes it impossible for the men to obtain a fair trial.

"Already the adverse and prejudicial publicity surrounding the case since their arrest last August had made it impossible for them to get a fair trial. Their lawyers have been intimidated and harassed by the prison authorities over many months and now they are facing public death threats. The men should be released and returned home to their deeply worried families immediately," said campaign spokesperson Caitriona Ruane.

"We have made the Irish government aware of these threats to the lawyers and we presented a copy of poster to the Colombian Embassy in London last week and called on them to protect the men's lawyers," Ruane said.

The trial of the men is expected to open in Bogota within weeks, after the appointment of a judge to hear the case is confirmed. The Dublin government is expected to send official observers to monitor the case.