Last week in Bogotá, more than 3000 social leaders from all over Colombia came together as part of the event, ‘Humanitarian Refuge’, an almost week-long protest to demand better protections for human rights defenders threatened with violence.
The social leaders took to Santamaría square in Bogotá where they camped out for five nights, whilst they visited Congress and various European embassies to request international protection measures due to the lack of response of the government up-against what is perhaps the most acute crisis in post-peace accords Colombia.
Since the peace accords were signed and up until the 31st of July 2018, 257 social leaders were murdered, according to a study carried out by Colombia’s National University. The Cauca region is the most dangerous for human rights defenders, followed by Antioquia, North Santander, Valle del Cauca, Córdoba, Putumayo, Nariño and Chocó, where 70.42% of all murders have been concentrated.
