GENEVA - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Wednesday that the first convictions handed down by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP), the transitional justice tribunal established by the Colombia 2016 Peace Agreement, are a "crucial milestone on the path to accountability".
"After decades of atrocity upon atrocity, these convictions represent a fundamental step in the fight against impunity in Colombia and in fulfilling the rights of victims to truth and justice," said Türk.
The SJP, or Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, is the judicial component of the 2016 Peace Accord signed between the Colombian State and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP).
In its first ruling, the SJP convicted seven members of the FARC-EP leadership to the maximum possible punishment for war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to over 20,000 kidnappings and other serious crimes, such as torture, sexual violence, and enforced disappearances.
The SJP allowed defendants the option to either deny their crimes or acknowledge them. The seven defendants decided to take the latter route. This "recognition route" means that instead of serving custodial sentences in prison, they face restrictions on their movement. Throughout the process, the perpetrators had to contribute actively to the restorative justice process, contributing to truth-seeking beyond the acknowledgement of harm. Furthermore, those convicted are mandated to participate in restorative activities, such as humanitarian demining, assisting in the search for missing persons, and contributing to memorialization projects.
All these activities need proper organization and sufficient funding to be carried out effectively.
"It is now up to the Government to take action so the legal, budgetary, security, and administrative conditions are in place to ensure that the ensuing penalties are effectively enforced and that accountability is fully embedded in the system," said the UN Human Rights Chief.
A further judgement addressing serious human rights violations, "murders and enforced disappearances of civilians by state agents, falsely presented as casualties resulting from combat," is expected to be issued soon.
The UN Human Rights Office supported the creation of the SJP and has provided technical assistance for its investigations, ensuring that the protection, rights, and strong participation of victims and witnesses remained at the centre of its work, as requested in the peace agreement.
While hailing these convictions, the High Commissioner cautioned that not only is the country continuing to be affected by armed conflicts, but that human rights violations are on the rise. These include, among many others, the killing of human rights defenders and the recruitment of children by non-state armed groups. Türk also stressed that current human rights violations are disproportionately affecting indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and women.
"Implementing peace accords is rarely a smooth or straightforward process; it often requires years of dedicated effort. These convictions highlight the progress made, but also the importance of continuing to prioritize the implementation of the 2016 Peace Accord to prevent further violations and suffering," said Türk.
