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During the hearing last Monday, in which the Colombian State had to answer before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Inter-American Court) for the kidnapping, torture and sexual violence of which journalist Jineth Bedoya was a victim, on May 25, 2000 , on the occasion of his investigative work on violence in the country’s prisons, Camilo Gómez, director of the National Agency for Legal Defense of the State (Andje), announced that he was recusing all the magistrates in the case, with the exception of one.
(Also read: Jineth Bedoya responds to the Colombian State: ‘Letter constitutes act of harassment’)
Gomez asked that the hearing not continue until that challenge was resolved. He alleged “lack of guarantees of objectivity in the process”, adding that it is an obligation of the judges “to be objective and impartial.”
“It is not about not being courteous to the victim, it is about not prejudging a State that appears before the Court and expects impartiality from the judges. That has not happened in this hearing and it is not the first case, “he said.
On Wednesday night, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled on the case of Jineth Bedoya, in relation to the recusal incident raised by the State of Colombia.
(We recommend: ‘I think Colombia is going to lose this case’: Jineth Bedoya’s lawyer)
The Court decided “to declare inadmissible the challenge made by the State against President Elizabeth Odio Benito, Vice President Patricio Pazmiño Freire and Judges E. Raúl Zaffaroni and Ricardo Pérez Manrique.
Also to declare inadmissible the State’s request for the nullity of all the actions taken from the moment the Court learned of the State’s challenge.
In a third point, the Inter-American Court “declares inadmissible the request of the State to exclude from the international file those questions formulated by the Judges and Judge that gave rise to the request for disqualification.
(You may be interested: ‘The State has the right to be heard objectively’: Camilo Gómez)
In addition, it decided to declare inadmissible the request of the State to refer the present recusal incident to the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Finally, the Court added, it declares that it corresponds that the Court, made up of President Elizabeth Odio Benito, Vice President Patricio Pazmiño Freire and Judges Eduardo Vio Grossi, Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor Poisot, E. Raúl Zaffaroni and Ricardo Pérez Manrique, continue with the knowledge of the Case of Bedoya Lima and another v. Colombia until its conclusion.
Related news:
– Colombia recuses magistrates and withdraws from trial in the case of J. Bedoya
– IAPA rejects delay in the case of Jineth Bedoya in the Inter-American Court
ELTIEMPO.COM
