Amnesty International today condemned the kidnapping and killing of Luis Francisco Cuéllar Carvajal, Governor of the Colombian department of Caquetá in the south of the country.

Luis Francisco Cuéllar’s body was found yesterday in rural Caquetá, a day after he was kidnapped. Colombian authorities have blamed the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for the kidnapping and killing but the group has not claimed responsibility.

“The Colombian authorities must ensure that those responsible for the kidnapping and killing of Governor Cuéllar are brought to justice,” said Marcelo Pollack, Colombian researcher at Amnesty International.

Hundreds of civilians remain kidnapped across Colombia by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

“Civilians in Colombia should not be forced to be part of this conflict,” said Marcelo Pollack. “We strongly urge all guerrilla groups to release those kidnapped and on the government to investigate all human rights abuses being committed in the country.”

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