AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – PRESS RELEASE
16 May 2012
Bogota bomb attack reprehensible
The perpetrators of a car bomb attack on 15 May, which killed two people and injured more than 50 in the Colombian capital Bogota, demonstrated a complete and reprehensible disregard for human life and must be brought to justice, Amnesty International said today.
The explosion injured former interior minister Fernando Londono, and killed his driver and bodyguard, and more than 50 passers-by were also injured.
No group has yet claimed responsibility and the Colombian authorities have thus far refused to blame any organization.
„Whoever was responsible for these attacks should be identified and brought to trial. Any criminal investigation must be impartial and independent, and the results made public,“ said Marcelo Pollack, Colombia researcher at Amnesty International.
„Should investigations into yesterday’s bombing uncover the responsibility of a party to the armed conflict, this would constitute a serious breach of international humanitarian law, which prohibits direct attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks which may result in civilian casualties,“ said Marcelo Pollack.
