Landmark ruling convicts seven FARC ex-leaders of wartime crimes

Colombia’s JEP issues archetypal idiosyncratic sentences nether 2016 bid deal, focusing connected victims’ justness and reconciliation.

Bogota, Colombia – Seven ex-leaders of the demobilised Colombian FARC rebels person been convicted implicit the kidnappings of tens of thousands of radical during their half-century of struggle with the state.

The decisions, handed down connected Tuesday by Colombia’s transitional justness body, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), people the archetypal idiosyncratic sentences imposed successful the restorative justness process acceptable retired successful the 2016 bid deal.

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The JEP, established successful 2017, issued “proper sanctions” connected the 7 erstwhile rebels, sentencing them to 8 years of reparations – obligatory enactment helping wide onshore mines and hunt for missing persons.

More than 450,000 radical died successful the much than 50-year conflict, according to Colombia’s Truth Commission, with much than 50,000 documented kidnappings betwixt 1990 and 2018. The FARC is believed to beryllium liable for 40 percent of these kidnappings.

“These defendants were declared to beryllium the astir elder leaders of the FARC-EP and criminally liable successful their capableness arsenic perpetrators of the warfare crimes of hostage-taking and murder,” the JEP wrote successful a statement.

The 7 sanctioned FARC leaders are Rodrigo Londono Echeverri, Pablo Catatumbo Torres Victoria, Pastor Lisandro Alape Lascarro, Milton de Jesus Toncel Redondo, Jaime Alberto Parra, Julian Gallo Cubillos, and Rodrigo Granda Escobar.

Londono, whose alias is Timochenko, was the FARC’s apical commander, portion Catatumbo and Gallo are serving senators successful seats allocated by the 2016 bid deal.

“Nine years aft the bid agreement, a transitional tribunal has present yet laid down what these alternate penalties volition look like,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, elder Colombia expert astatine International Crisis Group.

Dickinson said that the JEP’s sentences acceptable an illustration for what restorative justness looks similar successful the discourse of Colombia’s bid deal, focusing connected giving victims a consciousness of justice.

As portion of their reparation work, the erstwhile rebels were besides ordered to enactment connected projects preserving the memories of victims and assistance authorities with humanitarian demining and identifying disappeared people.

Additionally, the erstwhile leaders volition look restrictions connected their movement, with physics trackers and schedules to guarantee they comply with their reparations work.

“In immoderate ways [it] helps reinvigorate the 2016 bid process, due to the fact that really, without the anticipation of justice, it has been precise hard to benignant of determination guardant with the thought of ending a struggle done peace,” added Dickinson.

While astir FARC fighters were granted amnesty arsenic portion of the bid deal, the group’s enactment agreed to partake successful a restorative justness process. This included laying down arms, assisting with truth-finding, accepting the crimes they were charged with, and not returning to combat.

Those who person afloat cooperated with truth-telling look betwixt 5 and 8 years of reparation work, portion those who person not complied tin beryllium sentenced to a maximum of 20 years successful jail.

Today’s ruling concludes 1 of 11 alleged “macrocases” that the JEP is investigating. The tribunal is expected to denote idiosyncratic sentences against erstwhile authorities soldiers connected Thursday.