Colombia: Assassination de M.Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda

Case COL 080906
Assassination

Geneva, September 8, 2006

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Colombia.

Description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received with deep concern information from the United Workers’ Federation (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores - CUT), a member of OMCT network, about the assassination of Mr. Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda, Professor in Statistics and Development of Critic Thinking of the 20th Century at the college “Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia”, in Bogotá.

According to the information received, on September 1, 2006, around 3:30 a.m., Mr. Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda was assaulted by unknown persons who seriously wounded him with three official armoured projectiles, in front of his apartment, in San Ignacio residential estate, San Mateo district, annex city of Soacha. Brought to the hospital, he died a few hours later.

Economist and Master in Philosophy, Mr. Fajardo Marulanda used to work at the Engineering Faculty in the “Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia” and to teach in many colleges in Bogotá.

The International Secretariat of OMCT strongly condemns this assassination, as well as the persecution against the civil population and the obvious impunity of perpetrators.

Action requested:

Please write to the authorities in Colombia urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the assassination of Mr. Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda, in order to identify those responsible, to bring them to justice and to apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions provided for by law;
ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the family of Mr. Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda;
iii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to Mr. Edgar Emiro Fajardo Marulanda’s family;
iv. immediately comply with the recommendations of international and regional human rights agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;
v. more generally, ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses:

• Misión Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra. Chemin du Champ d’Anier, 17-19, 1209 Ginebra, Suiza. FAX: + 41.22.791.07.87; TEL.:+ 41.22.798.45.55. E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int
  
• Sr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Misión Diplomática en Bruselas: FAX: +32.2.646.54.91, E-mail: colombia@emcolbru.be
  
• S.E. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Presidente de la República, Cra. 8 # 7-26, Palacio de Nariño, Santa Fe de Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.566.20.71 : auribe@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Sr. Francisco Santos, Vicepresidente de la República, Téls. +571.334.45.07, +57.3.7720130, E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co ; buzon1@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Programa DDHH de Vicepresidencia: ppdh@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Observatorio DDHH de Vicepresidencia: obserdh@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Dr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz, Defensor del Pueblo, Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogotá. Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91 E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com ; agenda@agenda.gov.co
  
• Doctor Mario Hernán Iguarán Arana, Fiscal General de la Nación, Diagonal 22-B # 52-01, Bogotá. Fax: + 57.1.570.20.00 ; +57.1.414.90.00 Extensión 1113, E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
  
• Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Procurador General de la Nación, Cra. 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49 Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co, E-mail: quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co; cap@procuraduria.gov.co; reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Dr. Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, Ministro de la Defensa, Avenida El Dorado con Cra. 52 CAN, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.222.18.74; E-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co; mdn@cable.net.co
  
• Dr. Carlos Franco, Director del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario (DIH). E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
  
• Dr. Fernando Ibarra, Asesor del Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de DIH. Tel.: +57.1.336.03.11, FAX: +57.1.337.46.67, E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

Geneva, September 8, 2006

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.