§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Colombia concerning the abduction of human rights workers Julio Ernesto Gonzalez and Everado de Jesus Puertas in January. [82889]
§ Mr. Tony LloydJulio Ernesto Gonzalez and Everado de Jesus Puerta were murdered on 30 January by suspected paramilitaries. Although our Embassy in Bogota raises specific cases with the Colombian Government, this case was not raised with them.
The Colombian authorities are, however, aware of our concern about the safety of all human rights activists in Colombia. We raise the subject of human rights on a regular basis with the Colombian Government, most recently when Vice-President Gustavo Bell called on me at the Foreign Office on 27 April.