Response to media enquiries – CED visit to Colombia

The Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) would like to clarify its position concerning the unfortunate developments after the presentation of its preliminary findings to conclude its visit to Colombia, in particular the alleged presence of 20,000 unidentified bodies in a hangar at Bogotá Airport. 

This allegation was presented to the delegation during official meetings. The Committee considered this corroborated information coming from official sources as credible, and decided to reflect it as part of its preliminary findings, communicated to the State party on 4 December and made public in a statement released on 5 December 2024. 

The Committee is not a fact-finding body and is not mandated to lead criminal investigations. During visits, its task is to listen to State authorities and institutions, victims, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in different parts of the country, and share its observations. The Committee follows a strict methodology so that the findings, observations and recommendations are based on first-hand observations or on corroborated information received from credible sources.

During its visit to Colombia from 21 November to 5 December, the Committee met with 80 authorities, including the Minister of Justice, the Attorney General, the Ombudsman, victims and civil society organizations in Bogotá, Cali, Cúcuta, Medellín, Santa Marta and Villavicencio. The delegation visited five detention centers and accompanied operations in a crematorium, and a cemetery overflowed with unidentified bodies and human remains. It held 61 meetings with victims, collective of victims and civil society organizations from Atlántico, Arauca, Caldas, Caquetá, Cauca, Cesar, El Chocó, La Guajira, Huila, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Tolima, y Valle del Cauca 

The tragic issue of unidentified bodies and their inappropriate storage was raised repeatedly throughout the visit across the country, including by official sources.

One day before publicly releasing its preliminary findings, the Committee presented them in a meeting with State authorities, which is a diplomatic courtesy that allows them to correct any factual errors. There was no request related to the question of unidentified bodies, including the information on the storage of unidentified bodies at Bogotá airport. 

Following the publication of the preliminary findings, the authorities immediately reacted to check the claims and did not find the bodies at the airport. The Committee commends this immediate action, and takes note of this new information. The Committee recommends that similarly expeditious efforts are extended to address all other concerns and information related to enforced disappearances and unidentified bodies, and to provide competent authorities with enhanced resources and capacity to search for disappeared persons and investigate their disappearance. 

The country visit conducted by CED was an opportunity to listen to victims, engage with the authorities, and observe the functioning of relevant systems in operation. The Committee’s final conclusions and recommendations will be issued in a comprehensive official report in April 2025. Until then, the Committee will continue receiving and analyzing additional information from credible sources.

The Committee remains committed to working with the Colombian authorities to address these issues and ensure justice and dignity for victims and their families. It finally recalls that, as highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 56th session of the Human Rights Council last June, international institutions and mechanisms [such as the Committee] “were created and mandated by States to undertake their crucial work. States must facilitate this work and protect it from undue interference and attack.” 

ENDS