6 March 2025
Today marks the Day of Dignity for the Victims of State Crimes in Colombia, a commemorative day established by the Movimiento Nacional de Crimines de Estado in 2008 to recognise victims of state-perpetrated crimes like forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, torture and false imprisonment.
Today, ABColombia highlights three victims of such state-perpetrated crimes, recognising their strength, courage and perseverance in fighting for justice, while also remembering all those who fell victim to these horrific acts.
DAVID RAVELO
On 14 September 2010, economist, human rights defender and member of the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights, David Ravelo Crespo, was detained and incarcerated, accused of being the intellectual author of the murder of civil servant David Núñez Cala in 1991. Mr Ravelo was sentenced to 18 years in prison for aggravated homicide on 5 December 2012.
This accusation was based on the testimonies of paramilitary commanders Mario Jaimes Mejía, alias ‘El Panadero’, and Fremio Sánchez, alias ‘Comando Esteban’, later known to be fabrications of the truth. Mr Ravelo had previously denounced crimes committed by these two commanders, and one was even linked to a plot to kill him. Unfair legal proceedings, as well as the false testimonies given, caused Mr Ravelo to face an unjust sentence and deprivation of liberty for over seven years.
Mr Ravelo’s work involved him denouncing many violations of human rights, including those perpetrated by state actors. This case not only highlights the prevalence of state-perpetrated crimes during the Colombian conflict, but also the dangers of working as a human rights defender in the country.
On 29 January this year, Mr Ravelo was finally acquitted by the JEP, after seven years of arduous work done by CAJAR demanding that his case be looked at again. ABColombia celebrates this landmark ruling and congratulates both Mr Ravelo and CAJAR for their dedication and perseverance.
ELIZABETH SANTANDER
Elizabeth Santander’s husband Marino Escobar Aroca was arrested and forcibly disappeared on 22 January 1987 by the Colombian intelligence service (the DAS). Elizabeth, exiled to London, has continued to search for him for over thirty-eight years.
In November 2023, Elizabeth took Marino’s case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which considered that it was competentto hear the decision because there was an unjustified delay on the part of the Colombian State in the investigation and search for Marino and a failure to explain why it was only after 2017 that the Prosecutor’s Office began to take investigative steps at all.
Enforced disappearance is one of the most horrendous crimes against humanity. ABColombia recognises the work and achievements of Elizabeth and others like her, who work tirelessly to reveal the truth.
AMPARO RESTREPO
Amparo Restrepo’s husband Guillermo was invited to a meeting against kidnapping and forced disappearance in April 1986. After attending the meeting, he was taken by force and kidnapped by the Colombian Armed Forces.
Guillermo was found almost dead, dumped in a park outside Bogotá and tied up in a sack. He had been severely tortured for three days, and was found with a deep cut and two bullets in his head. Guillermo’s case is one of many that expose the brutal tactics of state forces in silencing those who speak out.
Amparo sought asylum in the UK after being confined to her house with her children for more than a year in Bogotá.
Today, ABColombia stands in solidarity with all victims of state-perpetrated crimes and those who continue to fight for justice. These cases are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of impunity and repression that continues to affect thousands in Colombia. The courage and resilience of Amparo, Elizabeth and David are a testament to the ongoing struggle for truth, accountability, and justice in Colombia.