Bogotá, October 5, 2018 – The Special Jurisdiction for Peace is a key component of Colombia's peace process. It is necessary to guarantee victims' rights to truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition. It is also indispensable to ensure access to transitional justice for former members of the FARC-EP, members of the security forces and other agents of the State and third parties who voluntarily wish to submit to it.

Victims' rights as well as the legal certainty of the parties in the armed confrontation depend on the strict respect by all public authorities for the independence and autonomy of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace. We stress the importance of a harmonious collaboration between jurisdictions that fully respects their respective competencies.

Taking into account recent events, the United Nations Verification Mission, within the framework of its mandate to verify reintegration guarantees, and the Office in Colombia of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, based on its mandate to observe international standards of judicial autonomy and independence and to guarantee the rights of victims established in the Peace Agreement, will act jointly to ensure respect for those fundamental principles.

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