CASE No - Inter-Parliamentary Union

CL/183/SR.1
ANNEX XIII
CASE No. CO/130 - JORGE TADEO LOZANO OSORIO - COLOMBIA
Resolution adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council at its 183 rd session
(Geneva, 15 October 2008)
The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Referring to the case of Mr. Jorge Tadeo Lozano Osorio, a former member of the
Colombian Congress, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of
Parliamentarians (CL/183/12(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 182 nd session (April 2008),
Taking account of the information provided by the Coordinator of the Human Rights and
Hearings Committee of the Colombian Senate, dated 17 September 2008,
Taking account also of the information regularly provided by the source,
Recalling that: Mr. Lozano was convicted and given a heavy prison sentence following
fundamentally flawed proceedings without being afforded the possibility of challenging them as, under
Colombian law, members of Congress are tried in single instance; in 2001 he submitted a petition to the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights regarding the flawed judicial proceedings; despite
assurances that the case would be re-examined after it was first considered inadmissible, no information
to this effect has been forthcoming to date,
Considering that by Decision C-545/08 of 28 May 2008, the Colombian Constitutional
Court recognized for the first time that the constitutional procedure applicable to criminal proceedings
against members of the Colombian Congress, such as Mr. Lozano at the time, in which the Supreme
Court Penal Chamber acts as both prosecutor and judge, was not in keeping with respect for the right to
a fair trial and had to be modified accordingly; that a bill of law is now pending before the Colombian
Congress to change the procedure accordingly along with introducing the possibility of appeal,
Considering that on 23 July 2008, Mr. Lozano's son, Mr. Ivanovich Lozano, was murdered
in the streets of Medellin; that four weeks before his death, Mr. Lozano received direct and indirect
extortionist threats, which were brought to the attention of the city’s competent police authorities
(Gaula), who nevertheless reportedly took no action; recalling that, in the past, several attempts have
apparently been made to silence Mr. Lozano and that his security and that of his family had been at risk
for some time as a result of his critical attitude towards those who acted against him and who hold
political, military or paramilitary power in Colombia,
1. Is shocked at the killing of Mr. Lozano's son and the apparent inaction of the authorities in
the face of the threats communicated to them; calls on the authorities, in keeping with
their duty, to do everything in their power to conduct a full investigation into the murder
with a view to identifying and bringing to trial the culprits and to provide Mr. Lozano and
his family with the necessary protection; would greatly appreciate receiving information on
what steps have been taken to this end;