Public denunciation Visitors subjected to degrading searches at “Buen Pastor” women’s prison in Bogotá The International Network in Solidarity with all Colombian Political Prisoners, INSPP supports the call for action initiated by the Political Prisoners held at The Buen Pastor Women's Prison and supported by Beyond the Walls. The “Beyond the Walls” campaign denounces to the national and international community that [prison administrating authority] INPEC subjected visitors of the social and political prisoners at the “Buen Pastor” women’s prison in Bogotá to degrading searches.

The facts

1. On Sunday May 2, 2010 INPEC’s custodial body of guards enlisted with the Manuel Beltrán company, in connivance with the director of the director of the “Buen Pastor” women’s prison in Bogotá, Ana Sofía Hidalgo Alvarado, subjected female visitors to ill-treatment and degrading searches. The visitors – in order to enter the prison – had their shoes damaged and were obliged to strip naked, squat, endure harassment from guard dogs that were not wearing muzzles and threatened with body cavity searches.

2. In the same manner, some visitors were not permitted to enter the prison, and under supposed suspicion – without judicial orders – were taken to Bogotá airport to be examined with an X-ray machine but when not finding any items indicating complicity in any crime, were abandoned at the location without their personal effects.

3. On May 4, 2010 the social and political prisoners issued a public denunciation (see below) in which they demanded the cessation of these procedures that violate human dignity and human rights, the investigation and sanctioning of the personnel directing custody and vigilance and requesting the national and international community to accompany them as permanent observers of their conditions in prison. We support the petitions of the social and political prisoners and make the following demands of the Colombian state:

1. Guarantee the fundamental rights of the prisoners and their visitors, especially their right to human dignity, their right to have visits and contact with their families and to communication with the outside, taking corrective measures for the illegal procedures denounced above.

2. Initiate legal and disciplinary sanction against those officers of INPEC responsible for the matters denounced.

We appeal to the national and international community to issue statements supporting the public denunciation made by the social and political prisoners in the “Buen Pastor” women’s prison in Bogotá and to send them to the following addresses:

Director of the President’s program for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Mr. Carlos Franco Email: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co Assessor: Fernando Ibarra Tel: Tel.: +57.1.5659797 or 571 5662064 E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co Attorney General ALEJANDRO ORDÓÑEZ MALDONADO Carrera 5 #. 15-80, Bogotá. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; +571.284.79.49. Fax: +57.1.342.97.23; E-mail: cap@procuraduria.gov.co, quejas@procuraduria.gov.co; y webmaster@procuraduria.gov.co National Ombudsman VOLMAR ANTONIO PÉREZ ORTIZ Calle 55 # 10-32, Bogotá. Fax: + 57.1.640.04.91 E-mail: secretaria_privada@hotmail.com; agenda@agenda.gov.co INPEC's National Director CARLOS ALBERTO BARRAGÁN GALINDO Calle 26 No. 27-48, Bogotá. PBX (57) 2347474 / 2347262 E- mail: reclamos@inpec.gov.co ; Webmaster@inpec.gov.co http://www.inpec.gov.co/portal/page/portal/INPEC_DISNIO/Seccion_Otros/P… Buen Pastor Women's prison Director ANA SOFIA HIDALGO ALVARADO Cra 47. No. 84 – 25 Barrio Entre Ríos, Bogotá Teléfono: 6307724 / 6301649 / 6302037 / 2400676 / 6304946 E-mail: rmbogota@inpec.gov.co Please copy your messages to: INSPP: sol.net.pp@gmail.com