Bolivia’s judiciary has come in for some uncharacteristic praise from the same international organizations that have, of late, served as its chief detractors. Last month, the supreme court of justice (CSJ), which, along with the other top courts is due to be replaced by popular vote next month, found five former top military commanders and two former ministers guilty of genocide in relation to “Black October”, the 2003 army clampdown ordered by President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1993-1997, 2002-2003) which left 67 dead and hundreds injured. Hailed as an important step forward by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the US-based NGO Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations, the verdict signifies the first time that former high-ranking military officials have been convicted by a civilian court for human rights abuses.End of preview - This article contains approximately 735 words.
Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article
Not a Subscriber?
Choose from one of the following options