The Attorney General’s Office once again expressed its opposition to the proposal to reduce sentences for sexual crimes, included in Bill 281 of 2024, currently under discussion in the Congress of the Republic.
This proposal has generated concern within the control body due to the possible implications for the protection of victims. of sexual violence and the proper functioning of the penal system.
During the public hearing of the justice reform, the Delegate Attorney before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), Christian Wolffhügelwarned about the adverse consequences that this measure could have, especially in cases related to child abusers.. The delegate stressed that reducing sentences is not a solution to the problems of delay in criminal proceedings, highlighting that delays in justice can be resolved with the tools already existing within the judicial system.
“The problems of delay are not resolved by reducing sentences for aggressors of children. What guarantees justice for victims are robust and adequate investigations, not the reduction of sanctions for these very serious crimes.”, noted Wolffhügel in his speech.
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Furthermore, the delegate explained that the judicial system already has mechanisms such as “awarded justice”, through the acceptance of charges, which allows the processes to be accelerated without the need to subject victims to the stigma of a prolonged trial. However, he highlighted that the incentive to reduce sentences could be perceived as minimizing the seriousness of sexual crimes, which would affect public confidence in justice.
The Attorney General’s Office also questioned whether the proposal would really reduce the levels of impunity in cases of sexual violence.given that it does not guarantee an effective streamlining of the processes nor will it prevent those involved from filing legal remedies. Instead, he warned that it could jeopardize the perception of proportionality in sanctions, one of the keys of the criminal system to maintain the balance between the seriousness of the crime and the punishment imposed.
Finally, the Attorney General’s Office reaffirmed its institutional position, insisting that any judicial reform must guarantee sanctions proportional to the seriousness of the crimes and must not compromise the rights of victims or erode confidence in the justice system.
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