Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

HRW: Colombian police launch projectiles against the demonstrators from tanks

HRW: Colombian police launch projectiles against the demonstrators from tanks

The HWR asked the Ministry of Defense to "give explanations" on the use of this weapon against the demonstrations in Bogotá.
The police have launched "multiple projectiles" from tanks at people who have been protesting in Colombia for nine days and who, precisely, are claiming against the police brutality that, according to the NGO Temblores, has left 37 fatalities, Human Rights Watch denounced this Thursday ( HRW ).

"With eyewitnesses and digital verification of videos we have corroborated the use of tanks with multiple projectile launchers aimed at protesters. It is a dangerous and indiscriminate weapon," said the director for the Americas of HRW, José Miguel Vivanco, in a message published in their social networks.

Vivanco, who asked the Colombian Defense Ministry to "provide explanations" on the use of this weapon, published a video in which it is seen how police officers launch projectiles from a tank at a group of protesters in Bogotá.

It is the response to several videos that circulated earlier this week, and which raised doubts about its origin, as projectiles were seen being launched in Bogotá as if the demonstrations were a scene of war.

On the other hand, the director for the Americas of HRW assured on Wednesday that that NGO has received 31 complaints about deaths during the demonstrations , of which it has been able to corroborate 11, the same number of fatalities that the Colombian Prosecutor's Office has confirmed.

"The protests in recent years in Colombia raise enormous doubts about whether the Police - and especially the Esmad (Mobile Anti-Riot Squad) - are capable of fully respecting human rights in these circumstances," added Vivanco from HRW. in another message published this week on his social networks.

EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE

The HRW complaint joins the one made last Tuesday by Amnesty International (AI), which asked the Colombian authorities "to put an end to the repression of the demonstrations" and asked the Government to "stop the militarization of cities", implemented under the figure of "military assistance", and respect.

He also demanded that it be guaranteed that "human rights are at the center of any public policy proposal," including the tax reform that is proposed after the withdrawal of the initiative that sparked the protests.

AI's Digital Verification Corps evidenced, through audiovisual material, "the excessive and unnecessary use of force by the Colombian Public Force in controlling the demonstrations."

"The Colombian authorities must promptly, independently and impartially investigate all allegations of excessive and unnecessary use of force against protesters, which has resulted in dozens of people killed and injured, arbitrary detentions, acts of torture and sexual violence, and reports of missing persons, "said the director for the Americas of AI, Erika Guevara.

ATTACKS AGAINST THE MEDICAL MISSION

According to the Ministry of Health, of the 189 attacks against the medical mission so far this year, 126 have occurred since last April 28 when the demonstrations began, which were ignited by a government tax reform that has already been withdrawn.

"64 of these reports correspond to threats and direct injuries against health personnel and 62 more against ambulances, their crews and sometimes against the patients themselves," said the head of the Office of Territorial Management, Emergencies and Disasters of the Ministry of Health , Luis Fernando Correa.

He also denounced that there was a "restriction" in the transit of medicines and equipment, as is the case with trucks that transport oxygen.

The most affected departments are Valle del Cauca, with 58 cases and whose capital Cali has been the major focus of violence in the demonstrations, and Norte de Santander (bordering Venezuela), with 37.

"The health sector calls for respect, empathy and support from the protesters and their leaders towards the health personnel, since, without the free movement of patients, supplies and medicines, the health system will be without the capacity to respond that users require in the midst of a pandemic like the current one, "the official concluded.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
×