IACHR urges Colombia to reinforce measures to eradicate violence against LGBTI individuals

May 9, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expresses deep concern regarding the ongoing violence against lesbian, gay, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals in Colombia, particularly transgender women. These bias-motivated acts of violence constitute a serious violation of the fundamental principles of equality and nondiscrimination, as well as other human rights.

On April 6, 2025, 32-year-old transgender woman Sara Millerey González Borja was brutally murdered in Bello, Antioquia. She was found suffering multiple fractures in a ravine; according to reports, she was tortured and left alive but died from her injuries hours later in a hospital. According to the State, the Office of the Attorney General has opened an investigation consistent with international standards to fully clarify the circumstances of the crime. As a result, one individual was arrested on May 1 and charged with aggravated homicide and torture.

Sara Millerey's case is one of 35 murders of LGBTI individuals in Colombia documented by the Attorney General's Office as of May 6, 2025. In 2024, the Ombud's Office recorded at least 287 cases of bias-based violence related to gender identity and/or expression, including no fewer than 30 murders of transgender individuals.

In its preliminary observations from its 2024 on-site visit, the IACHR highlighted "the persistence of violence against the LGBTI population and the barriers they face in accessing justice, especially in territories affected by the armed conflict." Despite some progress by the State—such as directives regarding investigations, the establishment of specialized task forces, and the legal and social recognition of rights—data from civil society indicates that Colombia continues to report some of the highest rates of violence against LGBTI individuals in the Americas.

Bias-motivated violence is not an isolated phenomenon; it is a manifestation of societal rejection of LGBTI individuals, rooted in patriarchal cultural norms. This violence targets intrinsic aspects of an individual's identity and sends a broader message of intolerance to the rest of society. The absence of an appropriate response from the State—including prompt and thorough investigations—perpetuates chronic impunity and reinforces the view that LGBTI lives are not valued. Failure to investigate and flawed or delayed investigations perpetuate structural violence and may also incur international accountability for the State.

Given the seriousness of this situation, the IACHR urgently calls on the Colombian State to immediately step up its efforts to investigate violent crimes against LGBTI individuals with due diligence and from a gender perspective. It also calls on the State to strengthen prevention measures and guarantees of nonrepetition through effective coordination between national and local authorities, prioritizing regions where such violence is persistent or where state presence is minimal. These measures must be developed through active consultation with civil society and leaders of the LGBTI community and should include cultural and educational strategies aimed at dismantling the stereotypes and prejudices that have historically legitimized such violence.

The IACHR again expresses its commitment to working in close collaboration with all relevant sectors of Colombian society and the State to promote, protect, and uphold the right of all individuals to live free from violence and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is made up of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 093/25

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