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News > Colombia

Colombia Sets Protocol Against Police Brutality

  • A Police officer shoots demonstrators who protest Javier Ordoñez's death, Bogota, Colombia, Sept. 10, 2020.

    A Police officer shoots demonstrators who protest Javier Ordoñez's death, Bogota, Colombia, Sept. 10, 2020. | Photo: Twitter/ @latablablog

Published 7 January 2021
Opinion

Police forces are obliged to show respect for human dignity and refrain from offensive comments against demonstrators.

President Ivan Duque's administration approved a new protocol setting out the conduct to be followed by Colombian police forces while controlling protests.

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The protocol responds to a ruling by the Supreme Court that condemned the "systematic, violent, arbitrary and disproportionate" use of force by the police. Establishing the obligation to report acts of violence committed by police officers, the provision prohibits the use of firearms by officers monitoring social demonstrations. 

Civil society organizations such as the Ombudsman's Office are entitled to establish verification commissions that will monitor police officers' conduct and demand a dialogue with the relevant authorities in case of violations.

Police forces are obliged to show respect for human dignity and refrain from offensive comments against demonstrators. They must also treat in different manner children, women, elderly groups, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBTI community.

The highly criticized Anti-Riot Squad (Esmad) will be used as a last resort to control violence. Officers must continue their training in human rights, the use of force and weapons in order to respond in accordance with national and international laws.

Organizers will have to inform the date and place of the demonstrations but the authorities are not allowed to undertake any action that prevents protesters from exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest.

Last year, the Central Union Workers (CUW) called for a national strike "for the defense of life, against police brutality, persecution and assassinations", thus rejecting the increasing violence and the murder of 45-year-old Javier Ordoñez by two policemen in Bogota. 

At least 13 people were killed and 209 civilians were injured as a result of police repression to the social unrest.

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