Colombia's Special Jurisdiction for Peace increases 'false positive' homicide case count to 7,837

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) in Colombia has delivered a stark update, revising the number of 'false positive' killings under investigation to a staggering 7,837. This figure represents a significant increase from the 6,402 cases previously acknowledged by the Truth Commission, underscoring the vast and deeply disturbing scale of extrajudicial executions that occurred in Colombia between 1990 and 2016. These were not simply battlefield casualties; they were lives systematically extinguished and then falsely presented as enemy combatants killed in action, a grim chapter in the nation's history.

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The report also highlighted statistics on homicides and forced disappearances allegedly attributed to the public force between 1990 and 2016 throughout the country, classified as illegitimate murders presented as deaths in combat, which amount to 7,837 victims, a figure that remains dynamic as cases progress.

Magistrate Pedro Elías Díaz of the JEP's Sala de Definición de Situaciones Legales revealed these updated statistics, emphasizing that the number is dynamic and likely to grow as more cases are uncovered and confessions emerge. The figures are derived not only from forensic identification but also from victim reports submitted since 2018 and documentation from various state institutions. This meticulous process highlights the ongoing efforts to bring accountability and truth to light, even decades after the events transpired. The expansion of the timeframe for these crimes, now encompassing 1990-2016, further illustrates the pervasive nature of these atrocities.

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We have held territorial hearings with the main perpetrators, who are also confessing cases of executions and disappearances that had never been investigated. It is most likely that this new figure will continue to increase in the future.

President Gustavo Petro reacted sharply to the news, implicitly criticizing former President Álvaro Uribe's administration, under which many of these 'false positives' are believed to have occurred. Petro decried the "systematic execution of young people" under the banner of 'Democratic Security,' a policy he characterized as a "policy of total death." This political fallout is significant, particularly as Uribe's party remains a potent force in Colombian politics. The JEP's findings not only serve as a crucial step towards transitional justice but also reignite deeply divisive political debates about accountability, memory, and the legacy of past conflicts in Colombia. The sheer volume of victims demands continued scrutiny and a commitment to ensuring such horrors are never repeated.

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There are 7,837 victims of the State due to the systematic execution of young people under the government of the so-called 'Democratic Security' policy, which is actually a policy of total death… They do not want re-election for social justice; they want it for death.