Mr. Gonzalez is Regional Coordinator of the independent human rights organization, the Political Prisoners Solidarity Committee (Fundacion Comite de Solidaridad con los Presos Politicos (FCSPP)), and was imprisoned for over one year. From January 4, 2006 to April 4, 2007 he was detained in Bucaramanga falsely accused of rebellion and of being in charge of an urban militia force.

The case against Mr. Gonzalez was extremely weak. Both of the witnesses in the case were allegedly former guerilla members and asserted that Mr. Gonzalez was the commander of an urban militia force linked to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Yet one was unable to physically identify or even name Mr. Gonzalez before he was detained and the other previously admitted to providing statements under duress from authorities. Judge Jose Alberto Pabon Ordonez of the 8th Criminal Circuit found that there was no evidence that the militia force Mr. Gonzalez supposedly led even existed.

Moreover, the judge recognized the valuable role that Mr. Gonzalez fulfilled as a human rights defender by stating, "The accused at no time has denied his political ideology and his defense of human rights and in fact it is exactly that which led him to become a part of the Political Prisoners Solidarity Committee." He also cited Colombia's obligations to provide a fair trial under international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is unusual for a regional judge to cite international legal treaties and strongly suggests that he was aware that people in other countries, such as you, were interested in the case. 

Prior to his detention, Mr. Gonzalez and the FCSPP endured a series of attacks and threats which appear calculated to deter them from performing their legitimate non-violent activities as human rights defenders. Both the FCSPP and Mr. Gonzalez have previously been awarded protective measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in recognition of their work as human rights defenders and the danger that they face.

Human Rights First has engaged in extensive advocacy with the Colombian and United States governments, as well as international organizations, calling for Mr Gonzalez's release. We believe that Mr. Gonzalez's case is part of a broader practice of instigating specious legal proceedings against FCSPP leaders and other non-violent human rights defenders to intimidate them, stigmatize them and thereby obstruct their legitimate activities.

HRF Statement after Mr Gonzalez's release: http://www.humanrightsfirst.info/pdf/07413-hrd-gonzalez-stat.pdf

Human Rights First's call for Mr Gonzalez's release: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/defenders/hrd_colombia/alert011707_gonzales.htm