Overview
- The initiative by Congressman Fernando Rospigliosi of Fuerza Popular seeks to revise Penal Code Article 20 to exempt police and military from criminal liability when acting in their constitutional role and using weapons or defensive means in a regulated manner.
- A proposed change to Article 92 would bar courts from ordering civil reparations against agents deemed exempt from criminal responsibility, limiting compensation to cases with criminal convictions.
- The draft includes a transitory clause for retroactive application, which could affect ongoing cases tied to the 2022–2023 unrest that the Defensoría del Pueblo says left 48 dead and led to proceedings against more than 280 police officers and 47 military personnel.
- Congress has sent the proposal to the Justice and Human Rights Commission for evaluation, and opinions are expected from the Ministry of Justice, the Fiscalía de la Nación and the Defensoría del Pueblo before any plenary debate.
- Human-rights organizations and opposition figures criticize the measure as a de facto amnesty, while the sponsor portrays the prior demonstrations as driven by radical groups including alleged links to MOVADEF.