Colombia's congress approves controversial justice reform .
Colombia's congress approves controversial justice reform .
Thursday, 14 June 2012 21:28 Adriaan Alsema
Colombia's congress on Thursday approved a controversial justice reform that has been widely rejected by the country's high courts and improves the legal defense mechanisms for Congressmen under criminal investigation.
According to the newly approved constitutional reform, congressmen can no longer be charged by the Prosecutor General's Office and convicted by the Supreme Court in a single trial, but obtain the right to appeal through the division of the Supreme Court in an investigative and a ruling unit. Additionally, congressmen can not be arrested until after being formally charged, this in contrary to normal citizens who are generally charged after their arrest.
This measure was approved at a time that 138 former congressmen are on trial for their ties to paramilitary groups and 38 have been sentenced to jail for their paramilitary links. An additional number of (former) congressmen is being investigated for corruption or other crimes.
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The Congress' Accusations Commission, currently investigating former President Alvaro Uribe for allegedly ordering the wiretapping of political opponents and the Supreme Court, will be replaced by a new commission that "serves to lead the impeachment process against those officials who enjoy constitutional immunity and are charged on criminal, disciplinary or political grounds."
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24606-colombias-congress-approves-controversial-justice-reform.html