The National Lawyers Guild signed on to the following letter of international legal organizations and bodies promoting human rights in the Americas regarding the criminal case currently pending in Colombia against former Colombian President and current Senator, Álvaro Uribe Velez, and Representative Álvaro Hernán Prada. Both are accused of fraud and bribery related to witness tampering.

In addition to the NLG, the letter is signed by Lawyers Without Borders Canada, the Federation of General Council of Spanish Law, the International Observatory of Law at Risk and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).

The letter emphasizes the importance of an impartial, independent judicial procedure free from political and other forms of coercion, urging the adoption of guarantees so that the lawyers involved in this case can be safeguarded against threats, violence or other forms of harassment. It also notes that the legal organizations involved plan to form an international accompaniment group to observe the trial and support the protection of an independent judiciary and the free practice of law.

The Colombia Subcommittee of the International Committee of the National Lawyers Guild works with legal organizations and social movements to address the U.S. role in Colombia and support social and economic justice. For more information about the work of the Colombia Subcommittee, please contact Natali Segovia or Natasha Bannan.

The National Lawyers Guild, whose membership includes lawyers, legal workers, jailhouse lawyers, and law students, was formed in 1937 as the United States’ first racially-integrated bar association to advocate for the protection of constitutional, human and civil rights.

Download the letter (PDF): Spanish (original)   English (translation)

English letter:

Spanish letter: