Colombia: Promotions for Army Commanders Linked to Killings

The Colombian government has named in key positions of the army multiple officers against whom there is credible evidence of involvement in extrajudicial executions and other abuses that are under investigation, Human Rights Watch said today.
On December 10, 2018, the government of President Iván Duque appointed General Nicasio de Jesús Martinez Espinel as the new head of the country’s army. On December 21, Defense Minister Guillermo Botero and Gen. Martinez Espinel named new commanders in key army positions. Human Rights Watch has identified evidence linking 10 of these officers, including Martinez Espinel, with “false positive” killings and other abuses. These killings of innocent civilians were committed systematically between 2002 and 2008 to boost body counts in the country’s long-running armed conflict.

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