Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Colombia on the imprisonment of civil society activists and trade unionists in that country.

Our Embassy regularly raises concerns about the violence and intimidation suffered by human rights defenders in Colombia, which includes trade unionists, with the Colombian government. Our officials continue to make representations to the government of Colombia regarding imprisoned trade unionists Huber Ballesteros and David Ravelo, to ensure due process and appropriate conditions. Our officials visited Huber Ballesteros last November, and continue to lobby prison authorities to ensure that conditions are appropriate for his medical needs. They have also recently requested access to visit Mr Ravelo in prison, having visited him previously just after he was sentenced in December 2012.

Human rights form a core part of the United Kingdom’s engagement with Colombia and we continue to raise these issues at the highest levels.