The NGO Temblores also documented 21 victims of sexual violence during police repression. | Photo: EFE
Bogota, May 22 (RHC-- The non-governmental organization (NGO) Temblores updated this Friday its figures of human rights violations that have occurred during the National Strike against the Colombian government and said that there are almost three thousand complaints of police abuse.
The NGO revealed that 2,905 cases of violence by the security forces (not including disappearances) have been registered in its GRITA platform from April 28 to 12:00 a.m. on May 21st. Among these cases were identified: 855 victims of physical violence; 43 homicides allegedly committed by members of the security forces; 1,264 arbitrary detentions against demonstrators and 575 violent interventions in the framework of peaceful protests.
Likewise, 39 victims of ocular aggressions; 153 cases of firearms shootings; 21 victims of sexual violence, and six victims of gender-based violence. In this context, Temblores published an open letter addressed to Colombian President Iván Duque, in which it raised several points, including allowing the visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
In addition, that he reaffirms the constitutional right "to social protest, as well as the state's duty to prevent the irregular and disproportionate use of public force, and to investigate and punish them with full guarantees of judicial independence."
The Bogotá councilwoman for the Colombia Humana coalition, Heidy Sánchez Barreto, denounced that on Friday night elements of the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (Esmad) of the National Police repressed demonstrators who were in the vicinity of Portal Americas, in the Colombian capital.
"The ESMAD in addition to firing gases at the assemblies near Portal Americas continues firing gases from the front, when that is prohibited. Who controls their excessive actions?" wrote Sanchez Barreto on his Twitter account.
In an interview with teleSUR, the councilwoman denounced the increase in state violence, pointing out that there has been an increase in reports of torture, cruel treatment and forced disappearance against young Colombians.
Senator Iván Cepeda revealed that next Monday the Colombian Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, will face a censure motion debate in the Senate. This appearance is due to "the criminal actions of the Public Force in the demonstrations," said the legislator and human rights defender, interviewed by teleSUR.
This Friday, the councilwoman of Cali, Ana Erazo, said on her Twitter account that "I have received extremely painful videos of bodies found in rivers. What we feared is starting to happen and it hurts my soul."
