Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro - Colombia, Amnesty International Campaign

On 5 August 2004 trade union activists Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro were arrested by the Colombian army. In the same operation, three other trade unionists - Héctor Alirio Martínez, Leonel Goyeneche, and Jorge Prieto - were shot and killed.

According to the armed forces, the trade unionists - who they allege were members of the National Liberation Army armed group - opened fire on the soldiers and were killed in combat. On 3 January 2005, charges of 'rebellion' (ie collaborating with armed opposition groups) were brought against Samuel and Raquel. Pre-trial court hearings began in the second half of 2005 to determine whether trials should go ahead.

Subsequent investigations have revealed that the three trade unionists were killed by troops out-of-combat. In July 2005 four soldiers and one civilian were charged with the killing. Samuel Morales, a former teacher, is regional president of the Colombian Trade Union Confederation (CUT) in Arauca, and a member of the Regional Human Rights Committee Joel Sierra, an independent organisation that denounces human rights abuses. Raquel Castro is a member of the Teachers' Association of Arauca (ASEDAR), whose leaders have been the target of raids and arbitrary detentions by the security forces, repeated death threats and killings by army-backed paramilitaries. On 19 August 2003 arrest warrants had been issued for the three trade unionists killed.

Amnesty International fears that Samuel and Raquel's arrest and charges and the killing of the three trade unionists are part of an ongoing joint paramilitary strategy to undermine the invaluable work carried out by trade unionists, human rights defenders and other social activists in Arauca. We are seriously concerned that Samuel and Raquel's legal rights may not be guaranteed and if released, may be at great risk. In September 2005, Samuel's family received death threats. Trade unionists and human rights defenders are repeatedly accused of being subversive or linked to guerrilla activity. Death threats and other human rights violations often follow such accusations.

Please write to the Colombian authorities calling on them to guarantee the legal rights of Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro.

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