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COLOMBIA
CASE N° CO/138 - GUSTAVO PETRO URREGO
Resolution adopted unanimously by the Governing Council
at its 176th session (Manila, 8th April 2005)


The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Gustavo Petro Urrego, a member of the Colombian House of Representatives, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/176/13(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 175th session (October 2004),

Taking account of the communication from the Director of the Presidential Programme on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, dated 28 March 2005, including an annexed report from the Attorney General's Office on Mr. Petro's situation,

Recalling the following information on file:

  • Mr. Petro has regularly received death threats from paramilitary groups; in June 2002 he learned that contacts had been made between a senior official of the Attorney General's Office and then paramilitary leader Mr. Carlos Castaño Gil with a view to having him assassinated;

  • In April 2004, the Prosecutor General reported that three disciplinary investigations were under way regarding the complaints lodged by Mr. Petro, two of which, conducted by the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor General's Office and by the National Directorate of Special Investigations, respectively, were at the preliminary stage, while the third, conducted by the Prosecutor for Disciplinary Matters - Human Rights Unit, was at the stage of preliminary investigation of the complaint; in all three investigations, members of Brigade 13 of the National Army were referred to as possible suspects; in addition, the Attorney General has conducted a preliminary investigation into the attempts allegedly carried out by paramilitary groups, in collusion with a police officer, to infiltrate Mr. Petro’s security detail for the purpose of preparing an assassination;

  • According to the information provided by the authorities in January 2004, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for Mr. Petro;

  • Mr. Petro formally presented to the Committee on Accusations of the Colombian House of Representatives reportedly well-documented accusations against the Attorney General of perjury and criminal offences allegedly committed in the exercise of his functions; in his letter of 16 June 2004, the then President of the Congress stated that the Committee was moving the investigation forward,
Considering that two house searches by the Attorney General's Office on 25 August 2004 appeared to reveal the involvement of the Colombian Army and other state authorities in an operation ("Operación Dragón") to collect sensitive information on the movements, activities and habits of specified individuals, including Mr. Petro, all of whom are unjustifiably referred to in the material found as supporting the objectives of the insurgency; that this matter was raised in Congress, but reportedly did not lead to any parliamentary action,

Bearing in mind that, in her report to the 61st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calls inter alia on the Congress to promote adequate norms and mechanisms to address the problem of impunity, and furthermore encourages the Attorney General to ensure that the sub-unit of the human rights and international humanitarian law unit responsible for investigating presumed ties between civil servants and armed groups concentrates on elucidating links between paramilitary groups and members of the public order force, civil servants and private individuals,

  1. Thanks the authorities for the information provided; regrets, however, that the report from the Attorney General's Office does not relate to any of the specific concerns in this case;

  2. Is deeply concerned that state agents appear to be implicated in a secrete intelligence-gathering operation in which they unjustifiably link Mr. Petro and other opponents of the Government to the activities of FARC;

  3. Fears that such accusations may be used to present him as a legitimate counter-insurgency target, which, in the context of Colombia, would seriously compromise his security;

  4. Trusts that the Offices of the Attorney General and the Prosecutor General are actively investigating the material confiscated in the searches so as to identify and bring to justice those responsible for setting up and carrying out the operation, and to ensure that it is fully dismantled;

  5. Regrets that the Congress has apparently not chosen to come to Mr. Petro's defence, in particular by denouncing the unfounded accusations made against him; would greatly appreciate being informed what action, if any, Congress is currently taking to address the concerns in relation to Operación Dragón;

  6. Would greatly appreciate receiving information on the work which the Committee on Accusations has carried out since Mr. Petro submitted to it material regarding the Attorney General’s behaviour;

  7. Trusts that the authorities will continue to provide Mr. Petro with the necessary security detail;

  8. Reaffirms, however, that any security arrangement is bound to fail in the absence of rigorous action to combat impunity; urges therefore once again the authorities to take effective steps to bring to justice those guilty of the death threats; and would greatly appreciate being kept informed of progress in this regard;

  9. Calls on the Congress to ensure that the recommendations made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights are followed up by the competent authorities;

  10. Requests the Secretary General to convey this resolution to the competent authorities and to the source;

  11. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 113th IPU Assembly (October 2005).

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