Legal experts address human rights and accountability in Honduras and Colombia

In Honduras, legal expert Jaime Rodríguez has expressed opposition to the recurring use of a state of exception to combat crime. He argued that the National Congress has already approved reforms to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure to streamline justice. Rodríguez emphasized that if such measures are implemented, they must be temporary, geographically delimited, and include strict oversight to protect fundamental rights, such as freedom of movement. He also criticized the lack of institutional accountability, noting a cycle where security and justice agencies shift blame among themselves.

In Colombia, the Colectivo de Abogados y Abogadas José Alvear Restrepo (Cajar) is calling for a full investigation into the responsibilities regarding massacres in the Magdalena Medio region. This follows a historic decision by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) regarding the paramilitary takeover of Barrancabermeja between 1998 and 2000. The JEP classified the events, which included over 14 massacres and 473 victims, as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Cajar is urging authorities to investigate the involvement of Ecopetrol’s administrative board at the time, members of the DAS in Barrancabermeja, regional politicians, and potential financiers of paramilitarism to ensure a complete truth for the victims.