Alirio de Jesus Pedraza Becerra, lawyer and human rights worker, “disappeared” on the night of 4 July 1990 in Bogota. He was seized by about eight heavily armed men, two of whom, according to witnesses, identified themselves to police officers who were present during the abduction. According to recent information, two members of the Judicial Police were arrested at the beginning of October 1992 on suspicion of being “materially responsible” for the lawyer’s abduction. One of them has reportedly confessed to the kidnapping and described the interrogation of Dr Pedraza. He claims that Dr Pedraza was left on a street in Barranquilla after interrogation. However, personnel in the Procurator’s Office have so far failed to locate him in Barranquilla.
Index Number: AMR 23/001/1993