GENEVA (19 February 2021) – We welcome the progress in the investigation in Colombia of the so-called “false positives” cases where people were falsely presented as having been “killed in combat.”

On Thursday, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which was set up to prosecute crimes committed during the armed conflict, announced that it was investigating the killing of 6,402 people, far higher than the initial figure of some 2,000 that they received to investigate.

We take this opportunity to recognize the extremely important and legitimate work that victims’ groups and NGOs have carried out to fight impunity in these cases and to obtain justice. Their contribution is essential for the realization of the rights to truth and reparation for victims.

We also welcome the Special Jurisdiction’s recent decision to prosecute the former secretariat of the FARC-EP for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict, in particular hostage-taking.

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace is taking important steps in the fight against impunity, which will help Colombia to address past serious violations of international law and prevent the recurrence of such violations. We stress once again that accountability for these crimes and the protection of victims’ rights is essential for the consolidation of peace and the strengthening of rule of law in Colombia.

ENDS