Colombian government removed a controversial military jurisdiction section from the pending Justice Reform, stating it will be dealt with separately in a future proposal.
Colombian Minister of the Interior German Vargas Lleras confirmed Friday that the article of military jurisdiction will be removed from the draft of the Justice Reform.
Vargas Lleras added that this item will instead be addressed in a future “comprehensive project” which will also deal with the trials of soldiers.
Members of the Social Party of the National Unity (la U) have criticized this decision. Juan Carlos Velez, Senator of la U and coordinator of the Justice Reform project, told newspaper El Tiempo that he has not been informed about the decision, adding that he would not agree to the withdrawal, but “will continue on with this issue.”
Vargas Lleras defended the decision, stating “the existence of these judicial means is beneficial for the institution, for society, and for the morale of those who give up their lives to defend the common good, it’s not to create impunity but rather the opposite, to guarantee institutional accountability.”
The president of the Supreme Court approved the decision to remove military jurisdiction from the Justice Reform project, commenting that “the topics of military jurisdiction and military criminal justice definitely require a more extensive analysis and more time for discussion.”