The South American state of Colombia is fast becoming the ‘lawyer murder capital of the world’, the Law Society warned this week.

Recently released figures reveal that six judges, 12 prosecutors and 334 other lawyers were murdered there between 2003 and 2009.

The figures are contained in a report published by the Colombian Caravana UK Lawyers Group in May 2011, which also recorded the case of a wife who had witnessed the shooting dead of her lawyer husband and who, 16 months later, had still not been interviewed by the police.

The Law Society Council unanimously passed a resolution last month calling on the Colombian government to act on these murders and end the present culture of impunity that protects the killers.

Law Society President John Wotton said: ‘The Law Society Council has passed a resolution calling upon the Colombian authorities to ensure effective protection for human rights lawyers, to end impunity for the perpetrators of attacks on human rights defenders, and to defend publicly the right of lawyers to practise their profession in safety without threat of attack or assassination.

‘Colombia is fast becoming the lawyer murder capital of the world. It is paramount that lawyers are free to defend human rights, and that judges and lawyers have the right to practise their profession without fear of persecution or murder. The Colombian government must act to prevent further bloodshed.’

Sara Chandler, chair of the Colombian Caravana UK Lawyers Group, said: ‘During our visit to Colombia I was extremely moved by the testimonies I was given by lawyers and victims of the violence against human rights defenders. It is vital that the international legal community maintains vigilance about the situation and expresses its concerns when lawyers are threatened, attacked or killed.’

Law Society human rights committee chair Tony Fisher added: ‘The rule of law and access to justice are the basic cornerstones of any civilised society. As defenders of those rights lawyers must be able to do so without fear of murder.

'Overseas investment to Colombia is vital to its economy, but its standing on the world stage could easily become tarnished by its worsening track record in human rights. The Colombian government must crack down on these atrocities.’

Some 57 lawyers from 15 different countries travelled to Colombia for a five-day caravana last August to gauge the severity of the situation. The largest contingent, 17 in all, came from the UK.

Their findings are documented in the Colombian Caravana report.