194 results

ICTJ, in collaboration with the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, and the New York City Bar Association, recently hosted a screening of the Colombian documentary Después del Frío ("After the Cold"). Coproduced by ICTJ and Colombian journalist María Jimena Duzán, with the support of the Embassies of Sweden and Norway in Colombia, the film paints an intimate portrait of a nation seeking healing and transformation, where the scars of the past give way to hope.

This year, Colombia commemorates the 20th anniversary of Law 975, which established the country’s first transitional justice process, called Justicia y Paz (or Justice and Peace). With this anniversary top on mind, and as the current government engages with eight of the remaining armed groups in pursuit of its “Total Peace” strategy, ICTJ recently teamed up with podcast producers Sillón Estudios to create a four-part series that delves into the peace process with the AUC and considers key lessons learned.

On June 8, Colombia woke up to the grim news that Miguel Uribe Turbay, a 39-year-old senator and presidential hopeful for the right-wing Centro Democrático party, had been gravely wounded after being shot. More than three weeks have passed since the attack and Uribe remains in critical condition, while Colombians, concerned about renewed democratic instability, have found themselves haunted by ghosts from the past.

The field of transitional justice is increasingly recognizing the relevance of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in contexts of massive human rights violations. Despite growing advocacy and awareness at the global policy level, however, the field lacks a systematic approa...

an image of colorful painting featuring a young girl

In July, Colombian President Gustavo Petro traveled to New York to address the UN Security Council on the status of the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. During his visit, Petro also inaugurated a monument commemorating the country's enduring pursuit of peace.

In 2022, the Total Peace law was passed in Colombia, through which the government seeks to negotiate and reach agreements with armed organizations that still exist in the country. On June 19, 2024, the current director of ICTJ Colombia, Maria Camila Moreno, was appointed to be a member of the negotiating team that will help develop the peace dialogue table with the armed group Segunda Marquetalia.

In the aftermath of armed conflict or repression, communities often struggle to rebuild social relations that have been damaged or destroyed by violence and abuse. Restorative justice can potentially play a valuable role in such societies, bringing together the people who have been harmed by crimes and the individuals responsible for those harms, often in the form of a dialogue, to address the offense and its consequences. A new ICTJ research report offers insight and guidance on the use of a restorative justice framework in responding to massive and grave human rights violations, drawing primarily from experiences in Colombia, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and the Philippines’ Bangsamoro region.

This research report offers guidance on the application of a restorative justice framework in contexts of massive human rights violations, including its advantages and challenges. Based on the experiences of Colombia, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and the Philippines, the study examines how ...

A man and audience member holds his phone to record proceedings of panel on the stage in front of him.

On February 13, 2024, the interactive cultural exhibit “If There Is Truth, There Is Future” opened to the public at Bogotá’s Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation. As part of the Colombian Truth Commission’s post-closure cultural and educational outreach activities, the exhibit aims to inform Colombians of all generations about the commission’s findings and inspire them to take action to prevent a recurrence of conflict.

As part of its mandate, Colombia's Commission for the Clarification of Truth carried out 68 processes of acknowledgment led or supported by a specialized team. These processes sought to acknowledge victims and the harms they suffered, as well as individual or collective responsibiliti...

Former guerrilla member Gabriel Ángel holds the microphone for former paramilitary member Nodier Giraldo during an event at the Truth Commission.