A/HRC/4/48 page 12 41. As to the responsibility of public servants for links with paramilitary groups, the OHCHR Office highlights as positive the fact that the Supreme Court and the Attorney-General’s Office are carrying out investigations, and trusts that progress will be made in shedding light on the great majority of cases that remain unpunished. 42. In this area, the challenges continue to be significant, as was demonstrated by the information disclosed after the Attorney-General’s Office had confiscated a computer belonging to a former paramilitary of the Northern Bloc. This revealed the perpetration by paramilitaries of hundreds of murders in the department of Atlántico, the systematic nature of the crimes and the impunity with which they were carried out, occasionally with the tolerance or complicity of members of the security forces. 43. The OHCHR Office also received complaints of extrajudicial executions perpetrated by paramilitaries before their demobilization, thus contravening their commitment to cease hostilities, and in connivance with the authorities. Such cases occurred in Norte de Santander, Meta, Guajira and Cesar. 44. In 2006, there was an increase in murders of trade union members and teachers. According to the Foundation for Freedom of the Press (FLIP) and data compiled by the OHCHR Office, three journalists were killed for reasons relating to their profession. 45. Threats against union members, journalists,8 teachers and human rights defenders persisted.9 In some regions of the country, human rights defenders and their organizations have faced restrictions on their work as a result of threats against them, with particularly disquieting situations in the departments of Atlántico and Arauca. The High Commissioner welcomes the press release by the Minister of Defence, published in October, rejecting the threats against human rights organizations and announcing the opening of investigations to identify those making the threats. 46. Other reports referred to violations of the right to personal freedom and security through arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances. The OHCHR Office received information regarding illegal or arbitrary arrests, both individual and large-scale, in the departments of Arauca, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Santander, Nariño and Valle. In some cases, these arrests were based on irresponsible statements by demobilized fighters, on photographs of the detainees recognized by former members of illegal armed groups, or on non-objective reports by military intelligence or judicial police units. In other cases, the arrests were made without legal warrants. The Office also received information regarding illegal or arbitrary arrests of human 8 The FLIP recorded 86 journalists who received threats, and 10 of them had to leave the country. 9 According to the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, human rights defenders are persons who, individually and in association with others, promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms without regarding their post, function or duty in society.