The Colombian Peace Process and the Principle of Complementarity of the International Criminal Court Kai Ambos

The Colombian Peace Process and the Principle of Complementarity of the International Criminal Court An Inductive, Situation-based Approach Professor Dr. jur. Kai Ambos University of Go¨ttingen Head Department for Foreign and International Criminal Chair for , , and International Criminal Law Judge at the Provincial Court (Landgericht)Go¨ttingen Platz der Go¨ttinger Sieben 5 37073 Go¨ttingen Germany [email protected]

ISBN 978-3-642-11272-0 e-ISBN 978-3-642-11273-7 DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-11273-7 Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010927684

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Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Preface

This book is based on an in-depth research into the Colombian peace process under the Justice and Peace Law (Law 975 of 2005), with a view to the obligations set forth under the complementarity principle of the ICC Statute. The research was commissioned by GTZ-ProFis, a project funded by the German government with the goal of assisting Colombia’s Unit of Justice and Peace (Unidad de Justicia y Paz) of the Office of the Prosecutor General (Fiscalia General de la Nacio´n) which is the most important institution to make this process work. The research was conducted in 2008 and 2009 involving various missions to Colombia (see Annex I). The original Spanish language study was presented in October 2009 in Bogota´ and was published by GTZ-ProFis and the Colombian publishing house Temis (www.editorialtemis.com) in February 2010; it is also available online at www. department-ambos.uni-goettingen.de/index.php/en/Forschung/friedensprozess-in- kolumbien-aufgrund-des-gesetzes-975-v-2272005.html. The study pursues an inductive, situation-based approach with regard to the interpretation of the complementarity principle governing the relationship between the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and national criminal justice systems (Art. 17 ICC Statute). The situation it starts from is the Colombian peace process under the said Law 975. The question with regard to Article 17 is whether Colombia – as a party to the ICC Statute which has been monitored for years by the Office of the Prosecutor – has complied with its obligations under Art. 17 ICC Statute. The study is structured as follows: the first part contains a critical analysis of the process under Law 975, taking into account not only the relevant norms but especially the practical implementation of the law. With this part a gap is filled since there is thus far no systematic and chronological analysis of this process in English. In the second part, the complementarity test of Art. 17 ICC Statute is systematically analyzed and applied to the Colombian situation. First, the object of reference of this test, in particular the distinction between situation and case, is looked at. Then, the actual complementarity test, distinguishing between the (addi- tional) gravity threshold of Art. 17 and complementarity stricto sensu, is examined. Some recommendations for the further application of Law 975 conclude this part.

v vi Preface

At the end of the book, the reader is provided with various annexes containing additional sources with material for further research, including all the relevant norms and case law (Annex I), an English translation of Law 975 (II) and a schematic overview of this Law (III), in addition to the usual bibliography. The publication of this study would not have been possible without the commit- ment and constant support of the GTZ-ProFis project and the Justice and Peace Unit of the Fiscalia with all its prosecutors and investigators who received and accom- panied the author while he was in Colombia. I am also indebted to all the institu- tions and individuals who I was able to visit and interview in Colombia. They are all mentioned in Annex I, Section 5. I finally thank my research assistants and LLM/doctoral students Florian Huber (Go¨ttingen) and John Zuluaga (Go¨ttingen/ Medellı´n, Colombia) for their assistance in the English version of this study. Their assistance was also invaluable in the preparation of the original Spanish version of the study which was also supported by Rodrigo Andre´s Gonza´lez-Fuente-Rubilar (Go¨ttingen/Concepcio´n, Chile). Last but not least, I thank my doctoral student Ousman Njikam, currently working at the ICTY in The Hague, for a final language revision. The English publication of this study would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the German Foreign Ministry (Auswa¨r- tiges Amt).

March 2010 Kai Ambos, Go¨ttingen Contents

Abbreviation ...... xi

Part I Law 975 and its process

Chapter 1 Preliminary Remarks ...... 3

Chapter 2 The Process Under Law 975 ...... 11 2.1 Demobilization, disarmament and reintegration ...... 12 2.2 Preliminary investigation and “versio´n libre” ...... 14 2.3 Formulation of “imputation” and charges ...... 17 2.4 Reparation ...... 21 2.5 Determination of the sentence ...... 23

Chapter 3 Intermediate Conclusions ...... 25

Part II The complementarity test (Art. 17) and its application to the Colombian situation

Chapter 4 Preliminary Considerations: The Object of Reference of the Complementarity Test (Situation–Case–Conduct) ...... 37

Chapter 5 Gravity and Complementarity Stricto Sensu ...... 43 5.1 Sufficient gravity (Art. 17 (1) (d)) ...... 44 5.1.1 The standard in current practice ...... 44 5.1.2 The own approach ...... 48 5.1.3 Application to the situation in Colombia ...... 51 5.2 Complementarity stricto sensu ...... 54 5.2.1 Admissibility due to total State inaction ...... 55 5.2.1.1 General considerations ...... 55

vii viii Contents

5.2.1.2 Application to the situation in Colombia .... 57 5.2.2 Inadmissibility due to State action (Art. 17 (1) (a)–(c) and 20 (3)) ...... 59 5.2.2.1 General considerations ...... 59 5.2.2.2 Application to the situation in Colombia .... 63 5.2.3 Admissibility due to unwillingness or inability (Art. 17 (2) and (3)) ...... 63 5.2.3.1 Preliminary remarks ...... 63 5.2.3.2 Unwillingness ...... 66 a) General considerations ...... 66 b) Application to the situation in Colombia ...... 72 aa) Purpose of shielding ...... 72 bb) Unjustified delay ...... 73 cc) Independent and impartial proceedings ...... 75 dd) General and paradigmatic aspects ... 76 5.2.3.3 Inability ...... 80 a) General considerations ...... 80 b) Application to the situation in Colombia ...... 83

Chapter 6 Conclusion: Classifying the Colombian Case with a View to Different Transitional Justice Scenarios ...... 89

Chapter 7 Some Recommendations for the Further Application of Law 975 ...... 91

Documents and Materials

1. Bibliography ...... 97

2. Additional Sources ...... 107 2.1 NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK ...... 107 2.1.1 Legislation ...... 107 2.1.2 Executive Decrees ...... 108 2.1.3 Resolutions, agreements, memoranda and others ...... 108 2.2 JURISPRUDENCE ...... 111 2.2.1 International Jurisprudence ...... 111 2.2.2 Colombian Jurisprudence ...... 113 2.3 DOCUMENTS ...... 116 2.3.1 Governmental documents ...... 116 2.3.2 International and non-governmental organizations ...... 119 2.3.3 Press reports ...... 124 Contents ix

2.4 (Further) BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 126 2.4.1 Monographs/Books ...... 126 2.4.2 Articles in journals/books ...... 131 2.5 FIELD WORK: INTERVIEWS AND MEETINGS ...... 134 2.5.1 Interviews ...... 134 2.5.2 Meetings ...... 135

3. LAW NO. 975, 25 JULY 2005 (English translation) ...... 139 CHAPTER I ...... 139 Principles and definitions ...... 139 CHAPTER II ...... 142 Preliminary aspects ...... 142 CHAPTER III ...... 143 Procedural principles ...... 143 CHAPTER IV ...... 144 Investigation and prosecution ...... 144 CHAPTER V ...... 149 Alternative Sentence ...... 149 CHAPTER VI ...... 149 Regime for the deprivation of liberty ...... 149 CHAPTER VII ...... 150 Institutions for the execution of this law ...... 150 CHAPTER VIII ...... 151 Rights of victims with respect to the Administration of Justice .... 151 CHAPTER IX ...... 153 Right to reparation for the victims ...... 153 CHAPTER X ...... 156 Conservation of archives ...... 156 CHAPTER XI ...... 157 Humanitarian Accords ...... 157 CHAPTER XII ...... 157 Entry into force and complementary provisions ...... 157

4. Schematic Overview of the Procedure Under Law 975 ...... 161 Abbreviations

AFRC Armed Forces Revolutionary Council AI Amnesty International Ariz. J. Int´l & Comp. L Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law art., arts. Article, articles ASIL American Society of International Law AUC Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (GAOML - Colombia-) AVR Archiv des Vo¨lkerrechts BICC Bonn International Centre for Conversion CADH Convencio´n Americana de Derechos Humanos CC Corte Constitucional -Colombia-, i.e. Constitutional Court CCJ Comisio´n Colombiana de Juristas (NGO) CCP (Colombian) Code of Criminal Procedure cf. Compare, consult CitPax Centro Internacional de Toledo para la Paz (NGO) CLF Criminal Law Forum CMH Comisio´n de Memoria Historica (Commission on Historical Memory) CNRR Comisio´n Nacional de Reparacio´n y Reconciliacio´n, i.e. National Commission of Reparation and Reconciliation CODA Co´mite Operativo de Dejacio´n de Armas (Committee for Laying Down Arms) CornJIntL Cornell Journal of International Law CP Co´digo Penal (Penal/Criminal Code) CPP Co´digo de Procedimiento Penal (Criminal Procedure Code) CUP Cambridge University Press DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration

xi xii Abbreviations

DRC Democratic Republic of Congo e.g. For example ECtHR European Court of Human Rights EIUC European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation EJIL European Journal of International Law FARC Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) FGN Fiscalı´a General de la Nacio´n (Office of the Prosecutor General - Colombia) FICHL Forum for International Criminal and Humanitarian Law FIDH Fe´de´ration International de Droits de L’Homme Fla. J. Int´l. L. Florida Journal of International Law fn. Footnote(s) FPLC Foreign Policy Leaderchip Council GAOML Grupo(s) Armado(s) Organizado(s) al Margen de la Ley, i.e. groups operating outside the law GMH Grupo de Memoria Histo´rica, i.e. Group of Historical Memory HarvIntLJ Harvard International Law Journal HRW Human Rigths Watch i.e. Id est, latin for that is IACHR Inter-American Commission on Human Rights IACtHR Inter-American Court of Human Rights ICC International Criminal Court ICL International Criminal Law ICLQ International and Comparative Law Quarterly ICLR International Criminal Law Review ICTJ International Center for Transitional Justice ICTR International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda ICTY International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia id. Idem IHL International Humanitarian Law ILC International Law Commission UN ILM International Legal Materials JCCD Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division JICJ Justicia y Paz JURA Juristische Ausbildung (German law journal) JyP Journal of International Criminal Justice LJIL Leiden Journal of International Law LRA Lord’s Resistance Army MelbJIntL Melbourne Journal of International Law Abbreviations xiii

MichJIntL Michigan Journal of International Law MP Magistrado Ponente -Colombia- (Reporting Judge/ Judge Rapporteur) MPYBUN Max Planck Yearbook of Law OTP Office of The Prosecutor p. Page PAHD Programa de Atencio´n Humanitaria al Desmovilizado, i.e. Program of Humanitarian Attention for Demobilized Persons para. Paragraph(s) PRIO International Peace Research Institute, Oslo PTC Pre-Trial Chamber rad. Radicado-Colombia (case number) RPE Rules of Procedure and Evidence SCSL Special Court for Sierra Leone TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission UJP Unidad de Justicia y Paz (Unit for Justice and Peace), Office of the Prosecutor General (FGN) UNSC United Nations Security Council WCRO War Crimes Research Office (American University, Washington D.C.) Zao¨RV Zeitschrift fu¨r ausla¨ndisches o¨ffentliches Recht und Vo¨lkerrecht