A/HRC/10/82 Page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its third session from 1 to 15 December 2008. The review of Colombia was held at the 14th meeting, on 10 December 2008. The delegation of Colombia was headed by H.E. Mr. Francisco Santos Calderón, Vice-President of Colombia. At its meeting on 15 December 2008, the Working Group adopted the present report. In the course of the adoption of the report, Colombia informed that the National Statute for Victims’ Rights is currently under consideration of the Colombian Congress. For this reason, Colombia will await the outcome of the Bill that is being discussed before providing a response on the recommendations contained in paragraph 89 below. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Colombia: Burkina Faso, Bahrain and Italy. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Colombia: (a) A national report submitted / written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/3/COL/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/3/COL/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR, in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/3/COL/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Czech Republic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden was transmitted to Colombia through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS A. Presentation by the State under review 5. H.E. Mr. Francisco Santos Calderón, Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, introduced the national report. He referred to the commitment of Colombia to human rights, to its openness and transparency, and noted the presence of 24 United Nations offices and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Colombia; having received 15 visits by human rights mechanisms since 2002; a follow-up system established with civil society and 39 embassies accredited in Colombia; and the full access international and local media and nongovernmental organizations have to the country. He also pointed out that Colombia had changed from being a State accused of being negligent or accomplice to paramilitary groups to one which has imprisoned all the leaders of paramilitary groups, demobilized their structures and seized their properties; from being a State incapable of protecting its citizens to having dramatically improved the guarantee to life and freedom in Colombia, with decreases of 45 per cent in homicides, 77 per cent in massacres, 76.5 per cent in terrorist attacks and 87 per cent in kidnappings, between 2002 and 2007.