10. The petitioners state further that the military takeover of the sector continued subsequent to Operation Orion, leading to more arrests. They allege that in a joint Police/Army action conducted on November 12, 2002, Mrs. Mosquera, Mrs. Naranjo and Mrs. Yarce, all well-known community leaders, were taken into custody. María del Socorro Mosquera was President of the AMI,6 Mery Naranjo and Ana Teresa Yarce served, respectively, as President and Auditor of the Las Independencias III district in Comuna 13. The women were taken into custody in a highly irregular manner: there was no order for their arrest or detention issued by a court of law; a “child dressed in a military uniform” was somehow involved; and they were “identified” by purported witnesses wearing hoods. The three women detained did not have the advice of defense counsel or of an officer of the court. The petitioners state that after being questioned, the three community leaders were held, charged with very serious crimes. The petitioners contend that even though there was not a shred of the evidence required by law to support the charges, the three community leaders were held in custody for eleven days and were released by virtue of a provisional court ruling that found there was no proof of their involvement in the crimes with which they were charged. 11. The petition alleges that after this episode, in November and December 2002, Mrs. Mosquera, Mrs. Naranjo and Mrs. Yarce asked authorities in the National Government to adopt the measures necessary to protect their lives and personal safety, since they serious cause to believe that their lives and those of their next of kin were in danger. 12. The petition alleges that on August 8, 2003, Mrs. Yarce filed a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation –the Rapid Response Unit of the Office of Divisional Public Prosecutor 116- to the effect that she had been receiving threats from paramilitary operating unchecked in the area, despite the heavy military presence there. She asked that for the sake of her own life and safety, an investigation be conducted.. 13. The petition states that on October 6, 2004, Mrs. Yarce was killed by paramilitary gunmen, as she was engaged in civic work in the Las Independencias III district, in the company of Mery Naranjo. Nothing in the allegations suggests that any protective measures were ever implemented. 14. The petitioners also allege that on February 14, 2006, a commando unit that was a combination of Army personnel and paramilitary conducted an unlawful search of the home of Mrs. Mery Naranjo’s family.7 15. As for the legal basis for the complaints, the petitioners allege that the State is responsible for violation of the right to humane treatment, the right to personal liberty, the right to a fair trial, the right to have one’s honor respected and one’s dignity recognized, freedom of association, the right to protection of one’s family, freedom of movement and residence, the right to judicial protection, and the obligation not to suspend non-derogable rights, recognized in Articles 5, 7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 22, 25, and 27 of the American Convention, all in relation to Article 1(1) thereof and to the detriment of community leaders Mosquera Londoño, Naranjo Jiménez and Yarce. It also alleges violation of Article 4 of the American Convention, to the detriment of Ana Teresa Yarce. 16. The petitioners allege that the violation of the right to freedom of movement and residence, protected under Article 22 of the Convention, occurred by virtue of the forced displacement of Mrs. Mosquera Londoño and Mrs. Naranjo Jiménez, who were forced to move away from the district for the sake of their own safety. They had no idea of when they would be able to return. The petitioners allege that “both families have been disrupted and torn apart” as a direct consequence of this situation; “out of a concern for safety, they were unable to live together.”8 The petitioners allege that the breakup of the family is a violation of family rights protected under Article 17 of the American Convention. 6 A women’s organization in existence since 1996,. Its members are female heads of household and its purpose is to improve women’s condition in society. It is part of the well-known Network of Women’s Organizations in Colombia and in Latin America – Women’s Peaceful Avenue. 7 Observations from the petitioners, which the IACHR received on December 28, 2006, p. 8. 8 Information supplied in the original petition which the IACHR received on March 7, 2005, p. 11. 3