IACHR issues second follow-up report about recommendations made to Colombia after 2021 visit

December 12, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued its Second Report to Monitor Compliance With Recommendations: 2021 Working Visit to Colombia. The report follows up on the 33 recommendations the IACHR made in the wake of its visit to Colombia, where its delegation observed the situation of human rights in the context of social protests during a general strike.

The recommendations addressed in this report concern the need to protect social protests, freedom of expression, and various ethnic and racial matters. Methodologically, the report takes into consideration information provided by the State, civil society, and victims in technical talks, hearings, and other reports. After assessing all the available data, the IACHR found that, in 2023–2024, talks were held in Colombia with a view to regulating the right to social protests and public demonstrations and to restricting among others the use of force in these settings.

The second follow-up report documents relevant measures including the following: Directive 001 of 2024 of the Office of the Attorney General, to acknowledge, guarantee, and protect the right to protest; the creation of a Permanent Interinstitutional Platform to investigate police abuse; the adoption of rules to promote a differentiated, proportionate use of force (Decree 1231 of 2024); interinstitutional protocols to verify arrests; and various measures adopted in the +Humana Police Transformation Process.

However, the report also identifies persisting challenges, including drawn-out criminal and disciplinary investigations, a failure to provide comprehensive reparations (especially for victims of eye injuries and sexual violence), the risk of criminalization, ethnic-racial and gender gaps, and allegations of a disproportionate use of force in recent events. The report also mentions the findings of expert consultancy work done by Justice Rapid Response concerning the guidelines to provide comprehensive psychosocial reparations to victims of eye trauma, which are set to be shared with the State to advocate for specific reparation measures.

This report is part of the IACHR’s strategies to monitor recommendations, in order to identify progress to attain compliance and to promote the timely and effective implementation. The methodology follows the guidance held in the IACHR report General Guidance to Monitor Compliance With IACHR Decisions and Recommendations.

The IACHR stresses that comprehensive compliance with its recommendations is a fundamental goal to ensure full protection for human rights in Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS) and to support the inter-American human rights system.

The IACHR acknowledges the efforts made by the Colombian State to move toward the adoption of effective measures to comply with these recommendations, several of which have been substantial and contribute to strengthening the country’s institutions and regulations concerning the right to social protest. The IACHR further acknowledges the State’s openness in the process of drafting this report and commends civil society on its involvement and contributions to the process of monitoring these recommendations.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the OAS whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 262/25

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