Government amends Social Protest Decree 003 to ban roadblocks

This Friday, June 18, the Ministers of the Interior, Daniel Palacios Martínez and of Defense, Diego Molano Aponte, as well as the Director of the National Police, General Jorge Luis Vargas Valencia, announced the measures adopted by the national government to ensure peaceful demonstrations in the country, following the National Safeguards Evaluation Table, where recommendations presented by human rights organizations, youth, trade unions, civil society and international organizations were accepted.

One of them was to amend Decree 003 of 2021, where it now states that “they do not constitute a peaceful demonstration those who promote the use of means to temporarily or permanently obstruct roads or infrastructure, as well as those who are summoned for illegitimate purposes, violence, stigmatization and reiterate the legitimate use of force under the principles of necessity », That is to say which prohibits the blockades of tracks within the framework of the social protest.

“The legitimate use of force is reiterated under the principles of necessity, legality, proportionality and differentiation to neutralize serious, certain and verifiable damage that affects public order and coexistence, putting life and integrity of people, public and private property at risk ”, underlined Minister Palacios.

Let us recall that this decree obeys the orders given by the Supreme Court of Justice in the judgment in which the plaintiffs demanded the protection of their rights to peaceful demonstration, to citizen participation, to life, to personal integrity, to due process, not to be subjected to enforced disappearance and to freedom of expression, assembly, movement and movement.

In the above-mentioned award, the tribunal de grande instance ordered the formation of a working table for restructure the use of force guidelines during peaceful protests, highlighting:

– The prevention and repression of systematic and violent interventions in demonstrations.

– The stigmatization of those who take to the streets to refute and criticize the work of the government.

– The disproportionate use of force, lethal weapons and chemicals.

– Illegal, abusive detentions, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

– Attacks on freedom of speech and of the press.

“We publicized the national government’s guarantee framework for those exercising the right to peaceful protest, and also for those who do not exercise it and need to see their rights protected. We are announcing the modification of the structure of the Ministry of the Interior, strengthening its comprehensive approach to social dialogue and human rights. The Vice-Ministry of Participation and Equal Rights will now be the Vice-Ministry of Social Dialogue, Equality and Human Rights “, said the Minister of the Interior today.

The national government also announced the creation of the National management system for social dialogue and conflict resolution, which will be chaired by President Iván Duque and will include the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Mines, the Ministry of Stabilization and the High Commissioner for Peace, among others.

“This system will be replicated at all levels; national, departmental and municipal, where it seeks not only to promote social dialogue, but also to be able to resolve conflicts that have their origin precisely in matters of coexistence and social conflict. In the same way, the Observatory of non-discrimination and non-stigma “Colombia belongs to all” is created. This Observatory will promote inclusion and the fight against any form of discrimination or stigmatization as a monitoring and follow-up mechanism for various discriminatory acts or practices based on race, ethics, religion, gender, orientation. gender, political opinion and participation and disability, among others “Palacios explained.

The minister also announced that they had made arrangements $ 34,732 million to strengthen the capacities of the National Police, which will be invested in technology, a pilot plan to body cameras and a mobility component which is part of the overall transformation plan of the National Police.

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