Inmates killed in Colombia riot shot intentionally: HRW

New evidence indicates most of the 24 inmates killed during a prison riot in Colombia’s capital earlier this year were shot to death intentionally, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

The organisation on Tuesday said autopsy reports it commissioned from independent forensic experts shed light on one of the deadliest prison uprisings in the nation’s recent history.

The Independent Forensic Expert Group and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims concluded none of the dead was shot in a way that indicated whoever fired only wanted to injure them.

“Most of the gunshot wounds described in the autopsy reports are consistent with having been produced with the objective of killing,” the experts found.

The report did not determine who fired in the chaotic moments of the March 21 uprising, but it raises new questions about compliance with international human rights law and the importance of a thorough investigation.

“This new report is based on official documentation pointing to the intentional killing of detainees, yet there is little sign of progress in the investigation,” said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

The Colombian attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the past, prosecutors have said they are continuing to interview witnesses but have not yet charged anyone in the deaths or injuries.

The riot

The riot at La Modelo prison happened in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic when case numbers were still low but fear increasingly high.

Prison advocates said the inmates organised a nationwide protest to draw attention to their dire conditions: Prisoners housed six to a cell, sleeping in the hallways, with no effort to isolate inmates with conditions that made them especially vulnerable to the disease.

Prisoners said it was intended to be a peaceful protest. But videos taken by those inside painted an unruly scene, with inmates yelling from outside their cells and the sound of gunfire piercing the air.

“They have us abandoned here!” one inmate exclaimed. “They have us like dogs!”

Justice Minister Margarita Cabello initially described the events as an attempted prison escape, though that account was refuted by activists.

She will become Colombia’s new inspector general in January – a move that HRW said raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest in ensuring a thorough probe.

According to international human rights law, governments must protect the lives of those in custody and quickly investigate any deaths.

‘A waste of time’

Andrea Benitez’s 30-year-old uncle was among those wounded in the upheaval.

She said he was shot in the arm and lost so much blood that he arrived at the hospital unconscious. He has permanently lost the use of the limb.

It took the family several days to track down his whereabouts and while they have been working with an attorney, so far they have gotten few answers.

Her uncle suffers from mental health issues and has not provided them with any details either. She is not hopeful that anyone will be held accountable.

“Here in Colombia it’s difficult,” she said. “That’s a waste of time.”