prowled the area where Mr. Rueda ate lunch. One of the escorts heard
‘that’s the human rights guy’ and upon trying to make contact, they
scurried through the Chapinero sector in Bogotá”;
v. on March 19, 2014, unknown persons sent threats via text messages to
the phone numbers of three members of the CIJP, which included Mr.
Danilo Rueda’s number. The content of the messages, including those
received by his peers, made clear reference to Mr. Danilo Rueda 5;
vi. previous messages were preceded by two electronic emails that also
referenced Mr. Danilo Rueda and his recent activities. In one of the
emails, reference was made to the stalking of Mr. Danilo Rueda, as
photographs from his phone both personal and related to his work in
human rights were included. In the other mail, specific reference was
made to Mr. Danilo Rueda’s activities in Buenaventura;
vii. on Thursday April 3, 2014, two persons in civilian clothes followed Danilo
Rueda, after he left the organization's headquarters in Bogotá. These
persons were finally "persuaded" by the assigned protection scheme, and
viii. on April 22, 2014, while Mr. Danilo Rueda was in the city of Buenaventura
carrying out activities related to the creation of a humanitarian space in
Barrio La Playita, a person took a machete and approached to attack him.
This person belonged to an armed group and ran upon seeing that people
came to protect Mr. Danilo Rueda.
e) on April 24, 2014 "the home where Mr. Danilo Rueda was living and where part
of his family worked, [...] was attacked with pellets that impacted the security
window panes. This took place precisely in the place in which he was watched
and followed by unknown persons in civilian clothes and where one of many
death threats received in recent weeks was left,” and
f)
finally, the Commission stated that, “to date, it does not have specific results of
the investigations of the attacks and stalking of defender Danilo Rueda. In this
regard, the sources of the risk, even after the threats that took place twelve
years ago, have still not been clarified and as a result, properly confronted.”
3.
The Commission’s arguments that form the basis for the request for provisional
measures, namely:
a) “the information provided shows the existence of a situation of extreme gravity
and urgency, and an imminent risk that a irreparable harm to the rights to life
and the personal integrity of Mr. Danilo Rueda take place, specifically
aggravated given his [alleged] position as a human rights defender. This
situation is evident given: i) the general context of risk faced by human rights
5
It was reported that: i) Mrs. Carolina Zamora, received a message that said, “hahaha, your
defender is going to be buried by the gd guerrillero warn him (sic) do you like our messages”; ii) Mr. Abilio
Peña had received a message that said “A month ago, father left, now his son guerrillero gd we know
everything about him [sic]”; on his behalf, iii) Mr. Danilo Rueda had received a message that said “Goddamn
guerrillero dead frog best of luck returning to the cemetery (sic)”.
4