By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BOGOTA, Colombia — Former Director of the Administrative Security Department, Jorge Aurelio Norguera, was ordered to pay a fine of $1.9 million and sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday by Colombia’s Supreme Court of Justice for his ties with far right-wing military groups and his involvement in the murder of a human rights worker in 2004.
Noguera, 47, was found guilty of destroying public documents and giving illegal right-wing death squads names of leftist activists, students and labor union leaders so they could be killed. The Supreme Court specifically held Noguera in connection to the murder of Alfredo Correa de Andreis, a prominent sociologist and human rights worker who was shot by assassins belonging to a paramilitary group in 2004.
According to a former senior deputy at Colombia’s Administrative Department of Security (DAS), Noguera helped coordinate Andreis assassination after Andreis had reportedly investigated suspicious activity by the right-wing military.
In addition to his sentencing and fine, Noguera has also been ordered to pay $89,000 in restitution to Andreis’ family. A lawyer for Andreis’ family said public money from DAS had been used for his murder.
Noguera’s sentencing is one of many scandals to come out of Colombia’s Administrative Department of Security (DAS). Several former officials and staffers of DAS have been investigated and accused of illegally wiretapping opposition leaders and judges.
Former President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, has also been accused of ordering DAS to wiretap his opponents while he was president. Uribe has denied any involvement with the wiretapping, stating last month “I never gave orders to do anything illegal.”
On Wednesday, Uribe referenced Noguera in a tweeter message stating: “I nominated him because of his résumé and his family. I trusted him; if he transgressed the law, it pains me and I offer apologies to the citizenry.” In a speech regarding Noguera in 2006, Uribe famously stated “I put my hands into fire for him.”
Noguera’s sentencing is the stiffest punishment to have been handed out so far to a member of Uribe’s government.
Director of the Americas for Amnesty International, Susan Lee, says Noguera’s sentencing is a critical move in the right direction for justice in Colombia. She calls for all those responsible for crimes under DAS to be promptly brought to justice.
In 2003, Colombia began a program which offered financial and legal assistance to members of paramilitary groups that voluntarily quit.
For more information, please see:
Ahram – Colombian Ex-Spy Chief Gets Stiff Prison Sentence – 15 September 2011
CNN – Colombian Court Sentences Former Spy Chief for Paramilitary Ties – 15 September 2011
NY Times – Ex-Spy Chief of Colombia Is Sentenced to Prison – 14 September 2011
The Huffington Post – Jorge Noguera, Colombia’s Domestic Intelligence Chief, Convicted Of Criminal Conspiracy – 14 September 2011
