The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), announced that the body will closely review changes in Colombia’s revised peace deal.
The ICC previously welcomed the initial peace deal struck down by national plebiscite in October, proclaiming it a “historic achievement for Colombia and its people.”
ICC welcomes Colombia peace deal, but urges prosecutions
The Colombian government and FARC guerrillas reached a new accord over the weekend, which will allow the suspended peace process to be resumed once the revised deal is ratified by Congress.
In its annual Report on Preliminary Examination Activities released on Monday, the ICC stated that it will continue to work with Colombian authorities regarding thousands of cases of extrajudicial killings carried out by the armed forces (often referred to as “false positives”), as well as forced displacement and crimes against women.
The ICC said it had met with Colombian representatives, including former Justice Minister Yesid Reyes, to discuss victims of the conflict and the planned creation of a transitional justice system that will take force once the peace process takes effect.
This Special Jurisdiction for Peace will investigate and prosecute alleged war criminals of the FARC, the state and the private sector.
The ICC said it has yet to develop a “specific or final position” regarding this justice system after the changes that were made to it in the peace deal revision.
Over the course of the past year, the ICC received for review 80 rulings handed down by Colombian courts against members of the armed forces, the FARC and ELN rebel groups, and members of paramilitary armed groups.