Political failings put Colombian activists at risk - Amnesty

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Frequent threats, attacks and killings targeting local activists across Colombia highlight the government's inability to protect human rights defenders, advocacy group Amnesty International said on Thursday.

Violence against rights defenders and activists - locally known as social leaders - will continue until the government effectively addresses structural issues such as deep inequality and substitution of illicit crops, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty's Americas director, said in a statement.