New Report: Truth Behind Bars-Colombian Paramilitary Leaders in U.S. Custody

The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), the Latin America Working Group Education Fund (LAWGEF), the Center for International Policy (CIP), and the US Office on Colombia and invite you to a discussion on

Truth Behind Bars:

Colombian Paramilitary Leaders in U.S. Custody

Featuring:

Roxanna Altholz, Associate Director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic (IHRLC)

Gretchen Gordon, IHRLC researcher

Noah Smith, IHRLC researcher

Moderated by Gimena Sánchez, Senior Associate, WOLA



Thirty former members of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) are currently in U.S. custody in Florida, New York, Texas, Virginia and DC. Extradited to face drug trafficking charges in the United States, the defendants include powerful warlords who massacred, forcibly disappeared, tortured, and raped countless innocent civilians in Colombia. Before the extraditions, all of the extradited AUC leaders were participants in Colombia's Justice and Peace process, and had begun to disclose details about their crimes and the identities of their accomplices. Since their extraditions, the paramilitary leaders’ cooperation with Colombian investigators has effectively ceased. The IHRLC has evaluated the consequences of the extradition of AUC leaders and its impact on U.S. interests in promoting the rule of law and human rights in Colombia. This event invites the members of the IHRLC to present and discuss their findings with the Washington, DC community.

The report is available at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/ihrlc.htm

Friday, February 26, 2010
2:00 PM-3:30PM
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
1666 Connecticut Ave, 4th Floor conference room
Washington, DC

Please RSVP to Anthony Dest, (202) 797-2171 or adest@wola.org by February 24, 2010.