The Colombian Supreme Court of Justice sentenced, on 30 April, María del Pilar Hurtado, ex-Director of the Department of Administrative Security (DAS), and Bernardo Moreno, President’s former Chief of Staff, respectively to prison terms of 14 years and 8 years. The Court found Hurtado guilty of ideological falsehood in a public document, conspiracy to commit a crime, embezzlement, illegal violation of communications and abuse of public office. It convicted Bernardo Moreno for conspiracy to commit crime, illegal breach of communications, and abuse of public office.
FIDH and its member organisation in Colombia, CAJAR, documented the illegal activities of DAS, as well as carrying out various missions in Panama to demand the detention and extradition of the ex-Director of the DAS and are part of various judicial proceedings relating to these facts. The spy network spread outside Colombia and extended into Europe where it targeted human rights defenders and NGOs. FIDH, Oxfam Solidariteit, OIDHACO, Broederlijk Delen and CNCD-11.11.11 are among the victims of the espionage and monitoring activities carried out by the DAS in Brussels and Belgium, where a criminal case is currently underway.
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