Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Colombian counterpart on human rights in that country.

The UK regularly raises human rights with the Colombian Government. The Prime Minister raised human rights, including the level of threat to Human Rights Defenders, during her meeting with President Santos on 2 November. On 15 November, the UK joined with other EU member states represented in Bogotá to raise concerns about the recent attacks against human rights defenders and trade unionists. Foreign Office officials discussed our concerns with the the Colombian Ambassador to the UK on 22 November. Our Ambassador to Colombia raised concerns about attacks on Human Rights Defenders with the Attorney-General the following day.