Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2014 to Question 211346, what response the Colombian government provided to the Minister for Latin American Affairs when human rights were raised during the Minister's visit in June 2014; and if he will make a statement.

During my visit to Colombia in June 2014 I met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and the Heads of the Colombian government’s major human rights agencies. I set out the UK’s concerns regarding attacks against human rights defenders and cases of impunity for those responsible. I also handed over a list of specific cases that our Embassy in Bogotá has been monitoring.

The Director of the National Protection Unit explained that Colombia has the largest protection system for human rights defenders anywhere in the world. The Attorney-General’s office confirmed that sentences for those attacking human rights defenders were rising (including sentences against servicemen).

Improving the respect for human rights in Colombia remains a top priority for the government of President Santos, and the UK welcomes the progress they have made, while noting that there is, of course, still more that can be done. I am delighted to be co-hosting a Members–only ‘Dialogue on Colombia’ on 10 March, which His Excellency Mr Néstor Osorio is kindly holding at the Colombian Embassy in London. This highlights the willingness of both our governments to engage with parliamentarians on human rights issues.