The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Senator Piedad Córdoba of Colombia, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/180/12(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 179th session (October 2006),

Taking account of the communications from the Prosecutor General's Office dated 30 October and 28 December 2006 and from the Human Rights Unit of the Attorney General's Office dated 15 January 2007; taking account also of the information provided by one of the sources on 15 January 2007,

Considering the following information on file regarding the crimes committed against Ms. Córdoba and the ensuing legal proceedings:

• Senator Córdoba was kidnapped and held by the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), a paramilitary group, between 21 May and 4 June 1999; its then leader, Mr. Carlos Castaño Gil, was formally charged on 9 November 2004 with instigating the kidnapping; Mr. Castaño had meanwhile disappeared in mid-April 2004; since then his remains have been found in a shallow grave in the department of Córdoba and an official death certificate has been added to the file; a public hearing was scheduled for 12 February 2007 in this case;

• in relation to the same kidnapping, an arrest warrant was issued on 26 June 2002 for Mr. Iván Roberto Duque Gaviria, alias Ernesto Báez, who is one of the representatives of the paramilitary groups in the negotiations with the authorities and is currently held in the high security prison of Itagui; he was heard on 12 June 2006 as part the preliminary proceedings in this case; on 13 July 2006 the Attorney General confirmed the detention order served on him;

• Ms. Córdoba was the target of an attempt on her life in January 2003; the Attorney General adopted precautionary measures on 18 September 2003 against three persons, who were acquitted on 5 March 2005 by the Third Criminal Court of the Medellín Circuit; on 26 October 2006, a stay of proceedings was ordered because the period mentioned in Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Procedure had lapsed; while the report from the Attorney General's Office of 8 February 2006 makes reference to a fourth person, namely the same Iván Roberto Duque Gaviria, alias Ernesto Báez, referred to above and states that he was declared absent in this case, the Office's latest report includes no particulars of his situation,

1. Thanks the Attorney General for the extensive information provided;

2. Notes that one of the presumed culprits in the kidnapping of Ms. Córdoba is at the disposal of the authorities, trusts that the necessary measures are being taken for him to stand trial in this case, and would appreciate receiving confirmation of this together with clarification of his legal status in the investigation into the January 2003 attempt on Ms. Córdoba's life;

3. Trusts that the authorities have ensured that she is provided with an effective security detail, and would appreciate receiving information in this regard;

4. Reaffirms that any security arrangement is bound to fail if those behind the threats can carry on making them and ultimately act on them without fear of being apprehended and held to account, is deeply concerned that none of the culprits of the latest threats appear to have been brought to justice, and calls on the authorities to pursue this matter with the utmost urgency;

5. Deplores the prolonged absence of any information from Congress regarding fulfilment of its oversight function in order to ensure that justice is done in this case and that Senator Córdoba enjoys the necessary protection, and reiterates its wish to receive information in this regard;

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

7. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 117th Assembly (October 2007).

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