The attorney of FARC ideologue “Jesus Santrich” has several ideas how to prevent the extradition of his client. The most important one is to seek the dismissal of all evidence against the former rebel leader.
According to attorney Gustavo Gallardo, Santrich was arrested and his home was searched without a warrant, based only on the red notice that was issued by Interpol on behalf of American authorities.
The FARC ideologue was arrested in Bogota on Monday on an American charge he had conspired to send 10 tons of cocaine to the United States.
The case against the FARC’s ‘Jesus Santrich’
Transitional justice tribunal JEP will investigate whether Santrich should be removed from the peace process that shields him from extradition.
But first, Gallardo asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the evidence and release his client over the alleged procedural errors.
Additionally, the attorney said that he was not given access to the evidence against his client and that all he saw was what was shared by the prosecution with the news media.
How FARC leader ‘Jesus Santrich’ got tied up in an alleged drug deal
Gallardo announced legal steps against President Juan Manuel Santos and Prosecutor General Nestor Humberto Martinez, claiming they abused their power by approving the arrest without consulting the JEP first.
Furthermore, the attorney said he would sue the state before the Inter-American Human Rights Commission for illegally wiretapping his client.
In an interview with newspaper El Tiempo, Gallardo said that Santrich did not know two of the three alleged co-conspirators.
The FARC leader only met the third co-conspirator, a nephew of FARC leader “Ivan Marquez,” a few times as part of Santrich’s political agenda, his attorney told the newspaper.
The arrest was a major blow against the peace process in Colombia that seeks to end more than half a century of violence, but has been marred by irregularities.