Madeleine protests Columbian human rights abuses

On Monday 8 March, 2010, Madeleine marked International Women's Day by going to the Columbian Embassy to protest the ongoing detention of human rights defender Liliany Obando. Liliany is a human rights activist who has campaigned against the continuing murder of Colombian trade unionists. Her work in several Western countries to raise awareness of the situation faced by the Colombian trade union movement had the effect of angering the Columbian regime, and the result was Lilany's arrest nearly two years ago. At the time of her arrest Lilany was dragged from her two terrified children and elderly mother. Lilany is not the only victim of this campaign of persecution: hundreds of trade unionists, human rights activists, students and others face years without trial in Colombian jails simply for criticising the regime.

Madeleine has also raised this issue of unfair detention in Columbia with the Foreign Office, and the Foreign Secretary raised her case personally with the Columbian Foreign Minister Bermudez in London last month. Since then the Columbian ambassador has informed the UK Government that two public hearings are to be held into the case. Following her protest at the Columbian embassy and discussions with the Foreign Office, Madeleine remains keenly interested in the case and will continue to take whatever action she can to keep the matter before the eyes of the world.