Being a judge in Colombia is a “high risk” profession, according to the Supreme Judicial Council, reported W Radio Wednesday.
“We are very concerned that in the past five years six judges have been murdered. Being a judge is becoming a high risk profession,” said Supreme Judicial Council President Hernando Torres.
In addition to the six judges that have been killed, 750 judges have been threatened and 138 have been transferred due to safety concerns in recent years.
Torres added that “important decisions” needed to be made to better protect judges, stating that “30% of threats are high risk. We are asking for further action.”
On Tuesday, Judge Gloria Costanza Gaona was assassinated in the northern department of Arauca. Speaking in relation to her death, the Minister of Interior and Justice German Vargas Lleras told W Radio that the Ministry was not able to provide sufficient security for her.
“We do not have the competency to provide security for all, in some cases we can do it, but it was never requested [by Costanza], and that’s the truth,” said Vargas.
He added that the case regarding Costanza’s murder will be moved to a court in Bogota and will be assigned a special judge to preside over it.