The Colombian Government, in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office, is developing a guideline that could lead to the release of people detained during the social outbreak of 2021, accused of crimes such as terrorism or conspiracy to commit a crime. This measure, announced by Justice Minister Néstor Osuna, seeks to address concerns about the detention of protesters during protests against the previous government.
In a statement issued from the city of Cali, the epicenter of last year’s demonstrations, Minister Osuna explained that the guideline in preparation will establish that acts of social protest do not constitute crimes of terrorism or conspiracy to commit crimes. “That is our commitment and for that we count on the good sense and sense of justice of the new prosecutor (general, Luz Adriana Camargo),” he stated.
For its part, the Prosecutor’s Office has stated that it is reviewing the approaches of the Ministry of Justice, considering national and international jurisprudence on the matter. The entity has indicated that the final decision on this issue rests with the competent criminal judges and, ultimately, with the Criminal Cassation Chamber.
It should be remembered that last year’s social outbreak left 83 dead, with more than half of the deaths allegedly attributed to the Police. The Ministry of Defense reported more than 14,000 rallies, marches and blockades during this period of social unrest.
The so-called “First Line”, made up of young people who faced the police force during the protests, was especially affected by the arrests. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) recommended that the Colombian State release those detained arbitrarily or unjustifiably in January last year, as well as establish a reliable registry of these cases to guarantee respect for human rights and due process.
2024-05-11 14:01:25