The International Office for Human Rights Action on Colombia

Military Criminal jurisdiction: Impunity and green light for the state security forces to continue to commit crimes

Concerns for EU reaction following reform of the military justice system which protects the State security forces from justice and leaves victims unprotected.

Brussels, June 27, 2013. On June 17, the Colombian Congress adopted the statutory law regulating military criminal jurisdiction. This statutory Law increases the concerns already raised about the constitutional reform of military criminal jurisdiction. At the same time as the Congress was passing this law, a session of the EU human rights dialogue with Colombia was also taking place. However, instead of expressing concern, the EU offered its cooperation in implementing this reform. This offer of support was repeated when Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon, a fierce advocate of this reform, visited Brussels this week. The EU’s attitude is extremely worrying given the gravity of this reform, which goes against international human rights standards and has been heavily criticized, among others, by the UN.

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