Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the attacks on the Inter-Church Commission for Justice and Peace in Columbia in November, and whether they have discussed those attacks with the government of Colombia, including alleged failures of the National Protection Unit.

The Government remains concerned about threats and attacks against human rights defenders in Colombia. The UK supports human rights defenders and victims through programming and diplomatic engagement, and UK officials regularly raise concerns with the Colombian Government and at the UN. We fund protection mechanisms for at-risk individuals, including religious leaders. The UK urges Colombian institutions to act on early warnings and protect those at risk. We remain committed to defending freedom of religion or belief globally. The UK reaffirmed this position most recently at the UN Human Rights Council during meetings in September. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and raise concerns where appropriate.