Asylum Granted to Colombia’s ex-Intelligence Chief is ‘Unconstitutional’: Panama Supreme Court
Asylum Granted to Colombias ex-Intelligence Chief is Unconstitutional: Panama Supreme Court
May 29, 2014 posted by Philip Acuña
Panamas Supreme Court has announced that the political asylum granted to Colombias former intelligence chief is unconstitutional, La Prensa news reported Thursday.
With a vote of 8-1, the countrys supreme court ruled that political asylum granted to Maria del Pilar Hurtado, the former head of the now-defunct DAS intelligence agency, is in violation of the countrys constitution.
According to the El Espectador newspaper, Colombias Prosecutor Generals Office, who was granted the authority to request Hurtados extradition yesterday, has not been notified. It is unclear how the Prosecutor Generals Office will proceed.
An initial extradition request was filed by Colombia in 2011, however Panamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs determined that Hurtados extradition was not viable.
Hurtado is the former director of the now-defunct DAS intelligence agency, which in 2008 was caught spying on Colombias Supreme Court, journalists, human rights defenders and politicians.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/colombia-ex-intelligence-chiefs-asylum-unconstitutional-panama-supreme-court/
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