IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of Dumar Eliecer Blanco Ruiz in Colombia

July 23, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 49/2025 on July 21, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Dumar Eliecer Blanco Ruiz in Colombia, in the belief that he faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights to life and personal integrity.

According to the request for these precautionary measures, the beneficiary denounced corruption by the authorities and crimes by non-state armed groups in Colombia. The request for these precautionary measures alleges that he is at risk after suffering violence by non-state actors, including various threats, harassment, forced displacement, and kidnapping. The party who requested these precautionary measures questioned the protection measures that had been implemented by the State.

The State said that the beneficiary had been recognized as a victim of forced displacement, threats, and kidnapping. The State further said that, on December 20, 2024, Colombia's National Protection Unit (UNP) evaluated that the level of risk faced by Blanco Ruiz was considered ordinary, so it resolved that he did not need protection measures from the UNP. Later, on March 20, 2025, the UNP said that there was a work order in force to evaluate the level of risk faced by the beneficiary. The State expressed a commitment to continuing to urge the UNP to report on the outcome of its evaluation of the level of risk faced by Blanco Ruiz.

After assessing the legal and factual allegation made by both parties, the IACHR noted that the beneficiary had been subjected to threats, harassment, and forced displacement since at least 2021 and that these incidents had not ceased since then. The IACHR further noted that, following more recent threats and following calls from various State institutions including the Ombudsperson's Office and the Office of the Attorney General for a reevaluation of the risks faced by Blanco Ruiz, there had been no confirmation of whether his situation had in fact been re-assessed, whether his protection scheme had been updated, or whether other types of measures had been taken to mitigate the risks faced by Blanco Ruiz.

The IACHR considers that Blanco Ruiz faces serious, urgent risks. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Colombia to take the following action:

1. Adopt all measures necessary to protect the beneficiary's rights to life and personal integrity
2. Take any measures necessary to enable Blanco Ruiz to do his work as a political actor and a human rights defender without being subjected to threats, harassment, or any other acts of violence for doing such work
3. Come to an agreement with the beneficiary and his representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
4. Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State of Colombia do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the applicable instruments.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (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. 146/25

No. 146/25

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