Colombian politicians who sought political gain through deals with paramilitary death squads will be facing charges of crimes against humanity, the Supreme Court announced Monday.
The court adjusted the jurisprudence making suspected ‘parapoliticians’ obliged to respond for the massacres and other crimes against humanity that were committed by the groups they alligned with, Supreme Court president Augusto Ibañez told reporters.
“The Court will study the cases of all persons who had something to do with illegal armed groups and if any form of support, back up or relation is found, it will be tried as crimes against humanity, according to international standards,” Ibañez said.
“Those who already are convicted can not be tried a second time, but if different acts are found … a new investigation will be opened,” the Court president said.
More than seventy politicians from all levels of government are being investigated for links to paramilitary death squads, whose demobilized men already confessed to more than 22,000 murders.