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WORLD NEWS Monday 12 october 2020

Judge orders ex-Colombian president freed from house arrest

By CHRISTINE ARMARIO on Twitter as the decision that Uribe's due process
Associated Press was read. The decision can rights had been violated,
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) be appealed but Uribe but he has stressed that the
— Powerful ex-Colombia was immediately ordered investigation continues.
President Álvaro Uribe was released.The Supreme "My request today is not
ordered freed from house Court argued in its 1,554- a prelude of procedural
arrest Saturday while he is page decision in August steps still to come," he said
investigated for possible that there was ample evi- Thursday. "There will be no
witness tampering, the lat- dence to show Uribe had impunity. There will be jus-
est chapter in a case that engaged in trying to pres- tice."
has revealed lingering ten- sure former paramilitaries Uribe has vehemently de-
sions over the country's into retracting damaging nied the allegations.
peace process. statements against the His supporters contended
The nation's Supreme Court ex-president. But the high the house arrest decision
had ordered Uribe de- court later relinquished was unfair because ex-
tained in August during the control of the case when guerrillas have been al-
probe, shocking Colombi- Uribe resigned his Senate lowed to remain free while In this Aug. 7, 2018 file photo, Colombia's former President and
ans and unleashing protests seat, handing it to the chief they testify about war Senator Alvaro Uribe arrives to the inauguration ceremony for
Colombia's new president Ivan Duque in Bogota, Colombia.
in favor and against the prosecutor's office. Magis- crimes. His critics argue that Associated Press
decision. He was the first trates have since ruled that the courts have effectively
president in Colombia's re- Uribe should be tried under turned a blind eye until now within the confines of the Uribe is widely credited in
cent history to be ordered a different legal framework toward numerous accusa- law." Colombia with leading a
placed on house arrest. designed for ordinary citi- tions that Uribe had ties to The case has sparked long military offense that pushed
But municipal Judge Clara zens, paving the way for his paramilitary groups during simmering tensions over the rebels to the negotiat-
Salcedo ruled Saturday release. the conflict. Uribe's legacy in Colombia ing table and the signing
during a virtual hearing that The former president's law- Jaimes said prosecutors will and how to handle those of the 2016 peace accord.
the prior ruling could not be yer argued that because advance their investigation suspected of crimes during President Donald Trump
upheld under a new legal Uribe is only under investi- fairly. the nation's long conflict tweeted congratulations
framework under which gation and has not been "The victims demand truth, between the state, para- to Uribe after Saturday's rul-
Uribe is being investigated charged he should be justice and reparations," military groups and leftist ing, praising him as a "hero"
since resigning his Senate freed. Prosecutor Gabriel he said. "And the justice guerrillas that left hundreds and U.S. ally in opposing
seat after his detention. Ramon Jaimes agreed, tell- system should provide ef- of thousands dead or miss- the socialist government in
"Thank God," Uribe wrote ing the judge he believed fective answers but always ing. Venezuela.q