Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian government to request that due process is observed in proceedings following the arrests of social activists (a) Esmer Montilla, (b) Samuel Rojas, (c) Ramiro Ateortua and (d) Ingrid Pinilla on 15 and 16 July 2015.

On 29 July, our officials from our Embassy in Bogotá met the Colombian non-governmental organisation DHOC (la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos y el Derecho Internacional Humanitario del Oriente y Centro de Colombia), to which Esmer Montilla, Samuel Rojas, Ramiro Ateortua and Ingrid Pinilla all belong. Our officials agreed to monitor the case, to meet periodically with DHOC and to send a letter to the National Ombudsman to ask them to meet DHOC about the case and to ensure that due process is followed.

Subsequently, our Ambassador in Bogotá met the Minister of the Interior on 5 August and raised this case and protection for human rights activists. He urged the government to ensure due process is observed.

We cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country but we will continue to monitor proceedings.