Sebastián Múnera, 22, died after receiving a shot to his neck during protests in Popayán

This Friday hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Popayán to protest the alleged sexual abuse of a young woman on the night of May 12 at the Police URI of the capital of Cauca, a place that was vandalized this day when several hooded men set her on fire.

Due to the public order situation, the authorities once again resorted to Esmad, who throughout the afternoon had clashes with protesters, one of them, the 22-year-old Sebastián Múnera, who was reportedly shot in the neck by an unverified item, resulting in his death.

“The 22-year-old boy hit with a stun bullet in the neck died in the Susana López hospital,” Contagio Radio reported. Information also released by the alternative medium El Parche Critical: “The death of a young man in Popayán is confirmed as a result of a tear gas hit on the neck”.

In social networks a video circulates in which the young man is seen lying on the ground and with a cloth around his neck, several of those present shout that he was killed, while others try to stop the bleeding.

“We regret and reject the violent death of the young Sebastián Quintero Munera, 22, a few hours ago in Popayan. We call for calm and respect for life and Human Rights of all people”, assured the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Juliette de Rivero.

Following the acts of violence, President Iván Duque recently published on his Twitter account that: “I have instructed Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior to move to Popayán and lead the restoration of public order in the city. Faced with unfortunate events related to a 17-year-old deceased youth, it is imperative to carry out a thorough investigation.”

The Justice and Peace Commission denounced this Friday that a round of the misnamed “social cleansing” It would be being planned with the police and wealthy sectors of the city of Popayán against youth protesters and peasants who participate in the mobilizations that have been taking place since last April 28 in the framework of the national strike.

“It consists of using the police vehicles with modifications and hiding the green colors, and the symbols of the institution with paint and tinting all the windows. Trying to avoid being discovered the plates of the vehicles would be undergoing changes”, it reads in the complaint of this organization.

They assure that according to the source close to the police institution, some vehicles have already been painted in the parking places of the Police Command of the capital of the department of Cauca located on the main avenue 17 in front of the INEM school.

“Some brass workers and painters have been transferred to the station and are being forced to do the job. The complainant affirmed that they are also looking for automotive painters to change a series of vehicles to black that would be used in the night neighborhood rounds that would be carried out in the next few days in the city,” they denounce.

“The planned actions would thus combine paramilitary forms to prevent the questioned police from being held responsible. Some actions would be carried out in the demonstrations and others in the places where the people who participate in expressions of indignation live, seeking to generate fear, paralysis and social isolation”: Justice and Peace Commission.