The assassination of a Protestant Christian leader in northern Colombia on 8 January has reignited demands for the Colombian government to reverse its controversial 2023 amendment of security legislation that stripped protections from religious leaders.
The drive-by shooting of 28-year-old Iván García, a church leader and preacher, as he and six other people—including his 14-year-old stepdaughter—walked along a rural, unlit road, occurred after they had left a spiritual celebration at the People of God Christian Vision Church where his wife, Pastor Karen Nierles, had been leading a Bible study.
Two gunmen on a motorcycle pulled up beside the group, dismounting to open fire on García, hitting him six times, including twice in the head. The gunmen then fled the scene on their bike, leaving behind an injured woman with a bullet in her arm.
Pastor Nierles, García's wife of six months, said that his active involvement in their church, the New Rebirth in Christ Church in the village of Garital, had helped drive its rapid growth, which took its congregation from seven to thirty committed members.
Speaking to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights organisation working to defend freedom of religion and belief, Pastor Nierles said García had renounced violence after leaving behind his life as a member of an illegal armed group to return to his Christian faith.
Pastor Yimys Peñalosa, leader of the denomination Pastor Nierles' church belongs to, told CSW that around a month ago the couple heard two gunshots as they were leaving Mr García's place of work, but didn't believe the act was specifically aimed at them. Saying her husband had never mentioned receiving any threats or warnings in the lead-up to the attack, she revealed that he had instead shared how unafraid he was to serve God.
"A few days ago, he told me that he was not afraid to teach the Bible, that he had a new life," she said. "He told me 'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain'."
The Director of Advocacy for CSW, Anna Lee Stangl, said this killing was the second premeditated assassination of a Protestant Christian leader in northern Colombia in the space of two weeks, raising concerns that religious leaders are being deliberately targeted.
"CSW grieves with the family and church community of Iván García," she said.
"Mr García had made a decision, despite the risks, to separate himself from an illegal armed group because of his religious beliefs and it is unacceptable that he might have been made to pay for that choice with his life."
Ms Stangl said there were disturbing similarities to a 29 December attack, when gunmen opened fire on Pastor Marlon Lora, his wife Yurlay Rincon, son Santiago, and his adult daughter Ángela as they sat eating lunch in a restaurant after a Sunday morning church service in Aguachica, Cesar Department. The only one not killed at the scene was Santiago, but he was left in a critical condition and died in hospital a few days later.
"The nature of the attack on Mr García, like the massacre two weeks ago of Pastor Marlon Lora and his entire family, indicate that these are premeditated, targeted assassinations," said Ms Stangl.
She blames the Colombian government's decision to amend Decree 1066, a legal instrument governing the security measures that high-risk individuals, communities, and organisations are entitled to. Removing religious leaders as a protected category has left them vulnerable to violence targeting them over religious activities carried out as part of their positions," she said.
"Religious leaders have long been a target of illegal armed and criminal groups for many reasons, including the role many of them take up as peacemakers and their willingness to use their influence in their communities to encourage others to reject participation in violent and criminal activities," Ms Stangl said.
"A full investigation into both sets of murders must take place and those responsible must be held to account."
