Congressman Ivan , a prominent human rights activist, on Thursday claimed his life is at risk after accusing ex-president Alvaro of paramilitary links.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Colombian government to double security measures for Cepeda in a
“Due to the gravity of the threats received by representative Cepeda, we advise the government, with all due respect, to adopt all necessary measures to guarantee his security as well as that of his judicial and legislative team. It is extremely important that the government sends a clear message that Colombia does not accept the intimidation of human rights defenders,” Vivanco stated in the letter.
“[Cepeda] received an anonymous call warning him of an alleged plot to attack him in Bogota. This call is one of the most recent of numerous threats received by the congressman over the past year,” the letter claimed, refering to a threat received during a meeting with the activists in Washington D.C in February.
“Cepeda has made commendable efforts to achieve justice for victims of human rights violations. His contributions have been crucial in strengthening state law in Colombia, in particular, to hold powerful paramilitary mafias accountable for their acts.”