Event Summary
In the first half of 2025, Colombia has seen a sustained increase in homicides and threats targeting social leaders, Human Rights Defenders, and Peace Agreement signatories. According to the research institute Indepaz, dozens of murders have been documented in the first half of the year, with four social leaders killed in August 2025 alone. These attacks are occurring in regions marked by armed group fragmentation, illegal economies, and weak state protection, particularly in Cauca, Nariño, and Chocó. The violence includes massacres and targeted assaults that disrupt community organising and collective processes, undermining local leadership and access to essential services. The lack of effective state response continues to erode trust and shrinks civic space, threatening social participation and community resilience. The persistent and targeted nature of the violence poses serious risks to the enabling environment for civil society. Continued monitoring is essential, alongside advocacy for stronger protection mechanisms and accountability.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia and other international organizations have echoed concerns over the escalating violence. Civil society organizations have condemned the killings and called for urgent, coordinated action to protect defenders, verify incidents, and support victims and their families.