At the Other Side of the Bottleneck: Macro Criminal Investigation and Restorative Procedures in Transitional Justice

Speakers Gabriel Rojas and Mateo Merchán will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities of addressing macro criminality in transitional contexts, and the role of restorative representation in achieving justice and reconciliation.

This talk will focus on the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia, which was created by the 2016 Peace Accord with the FARC rebel group. This tribunal is responsible for prosecuting the most serious crimes committed during the country’s armed conflict.

The concept of restorative representation suggests that the process of addressing macro criminality should involve not only punishing perpetrators, but also ensuring that victims receive reparations and that perpetrators are reintegrated into society in a way that is consistent with restorative justice principles. This approach aims to promote healing and reconciliation, rather than solely focusing on punishment.

Speakers

Discussant remarks will be provided by Guillermo Trejo, professor of Political Science and faculty fellow of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

Gabriel Rojas is a political specialist at the United States Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia and adjunct professor of international law and transitional justice at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá.

Mateo Merchán is a lawyer from the Pontifica Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia and served as an advisor to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace on matters related to transitional justice and criminal law.