United Nations High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet expresses support for JEP after ‘false positives’ report

From Geneva, the High Commissioner United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet announced that she welcomed the progress made by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) on the investigation into Case 03, known as the “false positive ”. As of Thursday, the High Court was reported to have found 6,402 innocent death cases that the Colombian armed forces passed off as guerrillas killed in combat between 2002 and 2008.

“We take this opportunity to recognize the very important and legitimate work of victims’ groups and NGOs to fight impunity in these cases and achieve justice. Their contribution is essential for the satisfaction of victims’ rights to truth and reparation, ”he said.

In addition, he also referred to the decision taken by the JEP a few weeks ago to accuse six high-ranking commanders of the ex-FARC-EP. “I also welcome the recent decision of the special court to indict the former FARC-EP Secretariat for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the armed conflict, in particular the taking of hostages.», He said.

The UN hailed the fact that the Special Jurisdiction for Peace “is taking important steps in the fight against impunity that will help Colombia to address serious violations of international law in the past and the non-repetition of these. violations “. On the other hand, they reaffirmed that being accountable for these crimes and protecting the rights of victims is essential “for the consolidation of peace and the strengthening of the rule of law in Colombia.», He concluded.

The FARC accepted the crimes

On Thursday, a group of former members of the former FARC took responsibility for the crimes recently tried by the JEP. By a statement issued by Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, leader of the Communes political party, The ex-guerrillas stress that in fact, during an armed confrontation, acts contrary to international humanitarian law (IHL) were committed.

“We assume our responsibility and call on other players to take the same path. The war in Colombia has involved various political and military actors, national and foreign, the recognition of our responsibilities and those of these other actors is fundamental to guarantee the non-repetition of the events that have led us to a social and armed conflict of more than 50 years. “, said Londoño’s statement.

<< Former commanders of the deceased FARC-EP signatories of the Agreement and members of the Autonomous Advisory and Defense System (SAAD) we met physically and virtually in the “Analysis of car 019” workshop, document published on January 21 by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) ”, reports the document, while claiming that it is published in order to “present its different aspects, clarify doubts, suggest and consult men and women in the reincorporation process, but also qualified voices from the national and international legal field ”, adds the ex-guerrilla.

This happened just after the JEP’s Truth and Accountability Recognition Chamber determined, through an investigation and information-gathering process, that in Colombia, between 2002 and 2008, there were 6,402 cases of extrajudicial executions and not 2,248 as previously reported by the Attorney General’s office to the court. During this process, the Peace Court concluded that Antioquia had 25 percent of the total victims of this state-committed crime tried as Case 03.

For his part, the former president at the time, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, referred to the report. On the afternoon of February 18, the politician He assured that it was a “new outrage” of the transitional justice mechanism which seeks to discredit his name.

“I have never escaped justice, that when it comes to my person a lot of pressure or substitution at least sowing suspicion. I am referring in this note to some of what I have repeated on the subject, which dates back decades with the particularity that in the governments that I presided over I ordered that everything be broadcast publicly, ”Uribe said in a commentary. Press release.

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