The NASUWT is calling on the government and judicial authorities of the Republic of Colombia to urgently review the judicial case against Dr Miguel Ángel Beltrán, a former Professor at  the National University of Colombia, and to authorise his immediate release.

Dr Beltrán was arrested on charges of rebellion and conspiracy in July 2015 and unjustly sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment in the high security prison ‘La Picota’ in Bogota. He was recently on a hunger strike to demand a fair review of his case, and improvement of the detention conditions for himself and for all prisoners.

Dr Beltrán is a member of the higher education union ASPU, one of Education International’s member organisations in Colombia. He is an outspoken critic of the Colombian government and has dedicated much of his research to conflict and turmoil within the country.

Colombia has one of the highest rates of violence against teachers and trade unionists.

He was first arrested in May 2009 on similar charges. Despite being cleared of all charges in 2011, he was removed from his position at the National University of Colombia and still suffers a politically-motivated ban preventing him from serving at any public universities in Colombia.

In partnership with Education International, the NASUWT has made a formal request for his case to be reviewed, for his release and for the restitution of his civil and academic rights.

The Union has also written to the Colombian ambassador in the UK and the Foreign Secretary to highlight Dr Beltrán’s case and to call for his release.