End of impunity for Colombian military murders?
End of impunity for Colombian military murders?
Published On: Tue, Oct 29th, 2013
News Review | By Marcus Sales
Colombia’s Constitutional Court last week ruled that the Military Justice law – a controversial bill that expanded the jurisdiction of military tribunals over crimes committed by the armed forces – is unconstitutional, citing “procedural defects” with the bill`s passage through Congress.
Human rights activists` criticism – who argued the reform would grant impunity for military accused of killing innocent civilians – was not enough to prevent Congress in June approving the legislation.
The Santos Government and Congress argued for the military’s need for “confidence and judicial security.” But in a ruling not subject to appeal, the Constitutional Court nullified the legislation, ensuring all subsequent cases are tried through the civilian courts. Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon labelled the ruling “a blow to the morale of the military forces that without doubt will affect Colombians’ security.”
The main concern for human rights organisations in relation to this legislation, was the prosecution of members of the armed forces guilty of killing innocent civilians, in what is known as the false positives scandal.
According to the Prosecutor General’s office, 3,896 civilians have been assassinated and subsequently presented as combat kills by members of the armed forces since 1986, with an alarming 3,470 deaths recorded in between 2002 and 2008 alone – a period military personal were known to receive rewards for high rebel body counts.
More:
http://www.colombia-politics.com/military-murder/
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