intimidation

Human rights defender Mr Aftab Alam received death threats and was the subject of harassment and intimidation on 9 February 2010. Aftab Alam is a weaver by trade and is associated with the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). 

Human rights defenders Ms Ingrid Vergara and Mr Juan David Díaz Chamorro have repeatedly received threats against them, and Ingrid Vergara was the subject of an assassination attempt on 5 February 2010. Ingrid Vergara is the spokesperson for Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE) in Sucre and Juan David Díaz Chamorro is a member of the same organisation. MOVICE has recently denounced several politicians for having links with paramilitary groups. Its work in this respect has lead to the arrests of several high level politicians. 

Human rights defender Father Solalinde has recently been subjected to harassment and intimidation as a direct result of his activities in defence of human rights. Father Solalinde is the director of the Albergue del Migrante Hermanos en el Camino de la Esperanza (Shelter for Migrant Brothers on the Road of Hope) and co-ordinator of the Catholic Pastoral Care Centre for Migrants. 

Human rights defender and lawyer, Mr Jorge Eliecer Molano Rodriguez, along with his family, has been subject to increasing levels of surveillance and intimidation. Jorge Eliecer Molano is a legal advisor for human rights organisations such as the Sembrar Organisation, the Nomadesc Association, la Corporación Jurídica Utopía (Legal Utopia Organisation) y Fedeagromisbol. He also provides legal representation to victims of human rights violations, such as the families of those killed in the massacre in the Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartado (Peace Community of San José de Apartado). 

Front Line is concerned following the ongoing intimidation and harassment of human rights defender Ms Anastasia Denisova. Anastasia Denisova is President of Youth Group for Tolerance “ETHniCS” (YGT “ETHniCS”), a member of the Coordinating Council of International Youth Human Rights Movement, an employee of Human Rights Centre “Memorial”, and co-coordinator of the ”Green Alternative” group in the region of Krasnodar. YGT “ETHniCS” monitors manifestations of xenophobia and the situation of ethnic minorities of the Krasnodar region.