Since 1986, over 20,000 people have died in political violence in Colombia. The government blames most of the political killing on drug-traffickers and guerrilla organizations. However, evidence suggests that the security forces are responsible for most political killings. This report describes human rights violations carried out in Colombia with impunity. It discusses the context of armed conflict in which the violations are perpetrated and the agents of those violations, be they members of the security forces, paramilitary groups or armed opposition groups. A major concern of AI is the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. The report also assesses the steps taken in Colombia to try to end human rights violations.
