Public Alert - Impersonation of Front Line Defenders in Colombia

Front Line Defenders (website: www.frontlinedefenders.org; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrontLineDefenders; Twitter: @FrontLineHRD and @FLDAmericas; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontlinedefenders/)

Front Line Defenders is an international human rights organization based in Dublin, Ireland, working for the protection and support of human rights defenders around the world. The organization also maintains an office in Brussels.

Recently, it has come to the attention of the organization that there is a group operating in Bogota, Colombia, particularly in the context of the protests, that is calling itself ‘Front Line Defenders’ using the official Front Line Defenders logo on social media, on letters shared online and on vests, IDs and white helmets worn in public.

Front Line Defenders highlights that its staff work on protection and security for HRDs but do not, as representatives of the organization, provide direct services of any kind to protesters.

There are also efforts by these people to raise money for its activities. This has been done without any permission from Front Line Defenders, its offices and its staff.

Front Line Defenders remind that its staff are based in many countries around the world, but the organization does not have a formal field presence in those countries nor an office anywhere other than Ireland and Belgium.

In addition, Front Line Defenders does not have any staff or bank account based in Colombia at the moment. Therefore, individuals claiming to be ‘Front Line Defenders’ are not from the organization.

If you encounter any of these individuals:

1. do not give any money;

2. do not give any personal information;

3. contact Front Line Defenders – americas@frontlinedefenders.org – immediately

If there are any questions, please write to americas@frontlinedefenders.org

Thank you.

Andrew Anderson
Executive Director