| Información |  | |
Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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| Información | | |
Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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14Apr13
Claudia Duque gets opportunity to achieve justice after years of psychological torture
Front Line Defenders recently received a letter from Claudia Julieta Duque describing her feelings of 'vindication' after the arrest was ordered of seven former members of the disbanded Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (Administrative Department of Security DAS).
The men are accused of "psychological torture" of the human rights defender and her family.
Claudia Julieta Duque is a journalist who works as a correspondent with the Equipo Nizkor and Radio Nizkor in Colombia.
The full text of her message can be found below:
Seven former officers of Colombia's security services each face up to 20 years in prison for their role in the aggravated "psychological torture" and physical intimidation against me.
The arrest was ordered on March 10 of a group of former officials of the now-disbanded DAS intelligence services after concluding they had been responsible for subjecting me and my family to years of illegal monitoring, surveillance, interception of emails, threats and harassment.
It is the first time ever a charge of "psychological torture" has been considered in Colombia and is the culmination of years of campaigning not only by me but by human rights activists (among them most of you) all over the world.
Among those facing charges are the former deputy director general of the service, three former heads of intelligence, one former head of counter-intelligence, one former chiefs of operations and one former chief of the technological intelligence area. Each faces between eight and 20 years in prison if found guilty.
Between 2001 and 2008 I spoke out about how I was subjected to systematic intimidation amounting to attempted "moral annihilation", according to the prosecutor. However, the five detained and the two fugitives are only charged with the torture inflicted during the years 2003 and 2004.
As you will remember, over a period of several years I was subjected to abusive phone calls threatening the life of my daughter - one caller told me "your daughter is going to suffer, we will burn her alive, we will spread her fingers throughout the house. " In 2001 I was kidnapped and in 2004 I suffered an attempt to disappear me. I later uncovered an instruction manual published by the DAS setting out in detail how to intimidate and frighten me and to rape my daughter.
Presenting his evidence the prosecutor said the systematic abuse was designed to morally and psychologically undermine "a human rights defender and a journalist who was critical of the government of the day".
This decision at last opens up the possibility of achieving some justice and the recognition that my allegations over so many years were true, that I was a victim of systematic abuse which went beyond mere threats. It was a crime of torture aimed at silencing a journalist and neutralising a human rights defender. The decision vindicates me and all those -- family and colleagues -- who suffered as a result of this persecution for the cause of truth, human rights and free expression. I am grateful for the loyalty of those who have lived with this for many years. This is a step towards a justice which for years has been absent.
I am aware that without your strong support, I would probably not have survived in Colombia nor in the exile or in the years after. Many thanks to all of you for keeping me alive to cherish the idea of the justice in my case.
With all my gratitude,
Claudia J. Duque
[Source: Front Line Defenders, Dublin, 14Apr13]
 | This document has been published on 19Jul13 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. |