She says journalists, trade unionists, lawyers, students and indigenous leaders have reportedly been arrested, tortured and even killed. Ms Sekaggya has just completed a two-week mission to assess the human rights situation in Colombia.

Conflict has been raging between the government and armed guerrillas for more than 40 years. Meanwhile, Colombian officials have announced they will dismantle the national intelligence agency.

A recent scandal revealed the illegal bugging of telephone lines belonging to human rights activists, politicians, journalists and Supreme Court judges.