and belongs to an NGO/Lawyers’ Collective. It hides behind its status as a human rights organization to defend
the guerrillas.”295
167. In light of those events, the president of the Lawyers’ Collective wrote an open letter to the president of
the Republic in which he rejected his statements as incompatible with a protective attitude to organizations
that defend human rights.296 In the letter, the Lawyers’ Collective asked the president to rectify his comments
and offer guarantees for them to carry out their activities freely in a framework of human rights.297 The
Commission has no information about any response to the letter.
168. The petitioners said that on April 7 and 24, 2004, and January 19, 2005, CCAJAR sent letters to the
Director for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.298 They said
that CCAJAR reiterated the requests for public rectification from the president of the Republic, as well as
guarantees of optimal conditions for their work and recognition of its legitimacy.299 The Commission has no
information about any response to those requests.
169. The petitioners said that on July 22, 2004, then-Senator Enrique Gómez Hurtado referred to CCAJAR in
an interview.300 They said that Senator Gómez stated that CCAJAR was an association working against the
interests of Colombia and that they were involved in the “black money moved by the guerrillas.”301
170. The petitioners alleged that on October 11, 2004, there was a meeting in the city of Valledupar that was
attended by the then-Governor of the Department of Cesar, Hernando Molina Araújo.302 The petitioners said
that Mr. Molina told Jomary Ortegón, a CCAJAR lawyer, that CCAJAR was a “pimp for the guerrillas”303 and that
its staff pass themselves off as citizens for good but that their criticisms of the government were not
contributing to peace, in allusion to the president’s visit to Europe.304
171. In February 2015, former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez posted the following messages on his Twitter
account:
“El Espectador and the Lawyers’ Collective are partners in the promotion of
criminals seeking to benefit by bearing false witness.”
“Iván Cepeda, Alirio Uribe from the Collective, professional defamers and FARC
supporters in Havana on a date with terrorists.”
“This Tuesday I will testify before the Supreme Court about the pain I’m suffering.
We will compete on the international stage/ with Lawyers’ Collective Farc.”305
4.
CCAJAR members who have fled the country because of threats
172. With respect to Soraya Gutiérrez Argüello, she and her family, including her daughter, Paula Camila
Romero Gutiérrez, were forced to move house, initially for eight months.306 The Commission has no
information on the names of the other relatives of Mrs. Gutierrez who had to move from where they were
living. Upon returning home to pick up some personal effects, the lawyer noticed that DAS agents
Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006;
Judgment T-1191/04 of the Constitutional Court, November 25 2004. Annex 55 to the petitioners’ brief containing observations on merits,
December 20, 2013.
296 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
297 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
298 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
299 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
300 Petitioners’ communication of June 23, 2005.
301 Petitioners’ communication of June 23, 2005.
302 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
303 IACHR, 2004 Annual Report, Ch. IV. Annex 52 to the petitioners’ brief containing observations on merits, December 20, 2013.
304 Judgment T-1062/05 of the Constitutional Court, October 20, 2005. Enclosed with the State's communication of November 1, 2006.
305 Tweets by former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez. Annex 2 to the petitioners' communication of March 18, 2015.
306 Statements of CCAJAR lawyers in an investigation conducted by the Prosecution Unit Delegated to the Supreme Court of Justice. Annex
77 to the petitioners’ brief containing observations on merits, December 20, 2013.
295
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