89. In September 1997, Mr. Vélez and his family once again began receiving telephone calls with death threats.102 On September 24, 1997, several men arrived at Mr. Vélez Restrepo’s home claiming to be officials of the Attorney General’s Office, but failed to show any identification, and asked Mr. Vélez Restrepo’s wife about his schedule and activities.103 90. In a letter dated September 29, 1997, the Colombian Commission of Jurists informed the Human Rights Council of the Presidency of the Republic about the harassment and threats against Mr. Vélez Restrepo.104 91. Furthermore, on October 6, 1997, the Attorney General's Office received a brief dated September 29, 1997, in which the Colombian Commission of Jurists also denounced before this entity that Mr. Vélez and his family had been the target of harassment and threats, which it claimed were related to the video filmed by Mr. Vélez Restrepo during the peasant marches of August 1996. It reported that the threats were made by telephone and also denounced the above-mentioned incidents of September 24, 1997 (supra para. 89).105 Based on this complaint, on October 10, 1997, the Attorney General's Office began a “preliminary inquiry” (infra paras. 110 and 111).106 92. On October 3, 1997, Mr. Vélez Restrepo himself filed a brief before the Human Rights Council of the Presidency of the Republic regarding his safety owing to the threats.107 93. On October 5, 1997, Mr. Vélez received a written death threat consisting in an announcement of his death or letter of condolence, stating: “Mr. Velez, hypocrites are crushed to death. Rest in Peace.”108 94. On October 6, 1997, Mr. Vélez Restrepo left home at approximately 6 a.m. to go to work. Near his house, two men emerged from a parked taxi and tried to pull him into the 102 Cf. statements made by Luis Gonzalo Vélez Restrepo and Aracelly Román Amariles before the InterAmerican Court during the public hearing held on February 24, 2012; statement made by Luis Gonzalo Vélez Restrepo on July 25, 2005, before a notary public of the District of Colombia, United States of America (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 15, folio 80, and file of annexes to the pleadings and motions brief, tome II, annex 16, folios 657 and 658), and letter addressed by the Colombian Commission of Jurists to the Attorney General’s Office on September 29, 1997 (file of the processing of the case before the Commission, tome II, folio 912). 103 Cf. Statement made by Aracelly Román Amariles on February 2, 1998, before the Antioquía Office of the National Special Investigations Directorate of the Attorney General’s Office (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 18, folios 94 and 95); note issued by the Human Rights Unit of the National Special Investigations Directorate of the Attorney General’s Office on October 10, 1997 (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 12, folio 67); decision issued by the Oversight Office of the Attorney General’s Office on May 3, 2002, case file 030-54410/2001 (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 22, folio 107), and statements made by Luis Gonzalo Vélez Restrepo and Aracelly Román Amariles before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on February 24, 2012. 104 Cf. Note DH 2860 of October 14, 1997, signed by an adviser to the Human Rights Council of the Presidency of the Republic, addressed to Gustavo Gallón of the Colombian Commission of Jurists (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, annex 13, folios 71 and 72). 105 Cf. letter of September 29, 1997, addressed to the Attorney General’s Office by the Colombian Commission of Jurists (file of the processing of the case before the Commission, tome II, folios 912 and 913).) 106 Cf. note issued on October 10, 1997, by the Human Rights Unit of the National Special Investigations Directorate of the Attorney General’s Office (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 12, folio 67). 107 Cf. note DH 2190 of July 6, 1998, signed by the Coordinator of the Cases Unit of the Human Rights Council of the Presidency of the Republic addressed to Raúl Hernández (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 20, folio 100). 108 Cf. written threat received by Mr. Vélez Restrepo on October 5, 1997 (file of annexes to Merits Report 136/10, tome I, annex 19, folio 98), and statement made by Luis Gonzalo Vélez Restrepo before the InterAmerican Court during the public hearing held on February 24, 2012. 31