IACHR publishes friendly settlement agreements concerning Colombia

December 5, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has published four friendly settlement agreements signed by the Colombian State and various petitioning parties concerning human rights violations committed in the context of Colombia’s armed conflict. These agreements reaffirm the parties’ shared commitment to seeking justice and comprehensive redress.

These agreements include Case 13,318—Rubén Darío Ocampo Henao and Héctor Corrales Ocampo, concerning extrajudicial killings perpetrated by agents of the Unified Action Group for Personal Liberty (GAULA). This group brought together members of the National Army, the Attorney General’s Office (FGN), and the Administrative Department of Security (DAS). The case concerns violations of the rights to life, personal integrity, and due process, since the investigation was conducted by military courts, the victims’ families were subjected to forced displacement, the investigation proved ineffective, and no redress was granted to the victims’ relatives.

The State acknowledged its responsibility in a public event. As a tribute to the victims’ memory, two plaques were presented to their families and a video with photos of the families and music that had been chosen by them was played. IACHR President José Luis Caballero, who is also the Country Rapporteur for Colombia, attended the event.

Case 13,697—Ana Isabel Florez Teheran et al. concerns the homicides of Ana Isabel Florez Teheran and her children Adalberto Julio Florez, Mónica Julio Florez, Beatriz Julio Florez, and Eduardo Julio Florez, and of Ides Antonio López Pérez and José Agustín Olivares Pérez, by the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), as well as the lack of access to justice and comprehensive reparation. The State acknowledged its responsibility in a private event where memorial plaques were presented to relatives of the victims.

Case 14,332—José Antonio Cardona Márquez and Family concerns the forced disappearance of José Antonio Cardona Márquez at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in retaliation for having cooperated with the National Army. In a private event that the family had agreed to, the State acknowledged its responsibility and symbolically presented the family with financial and educational grants and a photo arrangement. A song chosen by the family was sung as a tribute at the event.

Finally, Case 14,939—Edgardo Surmay Soto, Leandro José Surmay Terán, and Relatives concerns the homicide of Edgardo Surmay Soto, the subsequent kidnapping and disappearance of his son Leandro José Surmay Terán (a child), the displacement of several relatives, and the failure to investigate these events. The State acknowledged its responsibility in a private event where a piece of music chosen by the family was performed and a family photo arrangement was presented to the victims’ representative.

The IACHR commends the parties on their efforts to attain friendly settlements. Friendly settlements help to restore the social fabric and to develop a culture that is based on peace. These agreements symbolize one step in the direction of restorative justice and access to comprehensive redress for victims and their families. The IACHR commends the State on its good disposition—a State policy—to make progress through the friendly settlement mechanism in these and other matters. The IACHR stresses its commitment to supporting these processes until all commitments made in them have been reasonably implemented.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 255/25

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