The Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN), of which OMCT is a
member, presents the second featured case of a human rights defender, in the framework of its one year-long campaign:
Stand 4 Human Rights Defenders. HRDN is an informal group of 48 NGOs operating at the EU level in the areas of human rights, democracy and peace building.

Description of the case
David Ravelo, a prominent Colombian human rights
defender, has to this date served five of the more than 18 years of
prison he was condemned to, for allegedly plotting the murder of a
Colombian public official in 1991.
The process was plagued with irregularities:
- The accusation against David Ravelo was based on the testimony of
incarcerated paramilitaries, one of which is currently being prosecuted
for false testimony.
- The public prosecutor in the case was a former lieutenant in the
Colombian National Police who had been suspended for his alleged
involvement in the forced disappearance of a young man in 1991, which
according to Colombian law should have prevented him from working as
Prosecutor.
Human Rights Situation in Colombia
The Peace talks between the Colombian Government and the FARC
guerilla have recently significantly reduced the level of violence
related to the armed conflict, but according to statistics both from the
UN and NGOs the number of killings of HRDs in 2015 was higher than the
average over the last twenty years.
International actions related to Ravelo's proceedings and sentence
In 2011, two UN Special Rapporteurs expressed their concerns regarding
how “the criminalization of Ravelo Crespo would lead to an increase in
miscarriage of justice cases against human rights defenders in
Colombia”.
Since he has been detained, the Embassies of Germany, Netherlands,
France, Sweden and UK (amongst others) visited David Ravelo in prison.
The last visit was in 2014.
Members of the German, Irish and French parliaments also visited David
Ravelo in prison. In 2010 a group of British parliamentarians claimed
for his release.
An application has been filed at the Inter-American Human Rights
Commission (IACHR) and is currently in the information-gathering phase.
What more could the EU do?
In the last five years, some MEPs have repeatedly expressed their
concerns through public statements and written questions regarding the
situation of human rights defenders in Colombia and they have asked the
Commission to take action against the increasing number of attacks,
threats, stigmatization and baseless prosecutions. A written question on
David Ravelo’s case was submitted in 2012. In 2015, a MEP visited David
in prison. This mobilisation must continue to avoid that the case of
David Ravelo disappears from the attention of the international
community.
You can act by:
- Making public pronouncements against the violation of national and
international standards on the right to due process in the case of David
Ravelo and highlighting the need for an in-depth reform of the legal
system as a guarantee of non-repetition.
- Urging the Colombian authorities to investigate and prosecute those
responsible for all the irregularities in the process against David
Ravelo.
- Observing the upcoming trial hearings against “El Panadero” (“the
Baker”), the paramilitary accused of false testimony, since these could
impact Ravelo’s case in the long-term. Because of the involvement of
paramilitaries, the case should be reviewed under the Special Peace
Jurisdiction that will be created as part of the Peace Agreements.
- Visiting David Ravelo in Barrancabermeja’s prison, where he was transferred in August 2015.
Tweet your support to David Ravelo and join our call for justice by taking a picture holding our banner which is available here.
Use the hashtag #Justice4Ravelo and the hashtag of the campaign #Stand4HRDS.
The description of the case of David Ravelo can be found
here.