III. SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

B. Persistent insecurity faced by human rights defenders

10. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and HIV/AIDS activists

49. The Special Rapporteur met with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups, which apprised her of the precarious situation of LGBT defenders. She is very concerned about their plight due to their lack of acceptance of society.

50. An emblematic case is the killing of Alvaro Miguel Rivera Linares, an LGBT and HIV/AIDS activist who was found dead in his flat on 6 March 2009. His body bore marks of torture. Prior to his murder, Mr. Rivera Linares had denounced the general violence against the LGBT population in Cali, including alleged abuses and arbitrary detention by police officers. In 2001, he received threats because he denounced the practice of guerilla members of testing the population for HIV/AIDS and ostracizing people who were tested positive.

51. The Special Rapporteur notes the concern expressed by local authorities in Cali for the situation of LGBT activists, and urges them to make every effort to fully protect them.

Link to full text of the report: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/13session/A.HRC.13.22.Add.3_En.pdf