Freedom House is deeply troubled by the reported killing of Colombian activist Luz Neida Gomez Gomez, the treasurer of a local community action council in Vereda Buenos Aires, Colombia. Authorities must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into her death, and ensure that all steps are taken to hold accountable those responsible for this crime.
Freedom House and the Latin American Network for Democracy and Human Rights wrote an open letter to the Colombian government and leaders in the hemisphere calling for the inclusion of topics of democracy and human rights in their deliberations, and their inclusion in the agenda of subsequent summits. Nearly 150 activists and organizations from throughout the hemisphere signed the letter.
Freedom House is troubled by the brutal killing of Argemiro Cárdenas Agudelo, who was shot to death on March 16, 2012 in Dosquebradas, Colombia while on his way to a meeting.
Freedom House condemns the Colombian Cudinamarca High Court’s decision on February 29 to uphold the prison sentence against Luis Agustin Gonzalez, editor of newspaper Cundinamarca Democrática, for criminal libel, and hopes the Supreme Court repeals the sentence.