Sandra Gamboa, Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyer Collective (CCAJAR).

Sandra Gamboa has worked with the Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyer Collective (CCAJAR) for eight years. Among other cases, she represents the family of Tania Solano and Juan Carlos, 24 and 28 years old, respectively, who, in 2003, were murdered and presented as guerrillas killed in combat in the Department of Cesar in Northern Colombia. Currently, a court in Valledupar is in the evidence phase of the case against three National Army soldiers. [1]

In 2001, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights recognised the severity of the constant threats and attacks against the Lawyers Collective by granting the Collective precautionary measures, which are supposed to be implemented by the Ministry of Justice and the Interior’s program of Lawyer Protection. Over time, several members of the Lawyers Collective have gone into exile, and only a few have been able to return to continue their work. For these lawyers, PBI’s international accompaniment is “absolutely necessary so that the human rights defenders are able to do their work in isolated regions of Colombian where threats and other attacks tend to increase.”[2]