Colombian Court Frees Ex-President Uribe Pending Appeal on Bribery Conviction

Colombia's Superior Court in Bogota has ordered the release of former President Alvaro Uribe from house arrest while he appeals his conviction for bribery and witness tampering. Uribe was initially sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for allegedly attempting to tamper with witnesses in a long-running case involving his ties to right-wing paramilitaries. The court ruled that Uribe's fundamental rights to liberty, due process, human dignity, and presumption of innocence were violated by the immediate deprivation of liberty, suspending the sentence pending the appeal's outcome. This decision marks a significant development in the legal saga surrounding Uribe, who denies the charges and claims political persecution. The appeals process is ongoing, with the court expected to issue a final ruling by mid-October. Uribe’s case has drawn considerable attention both within Colombia and from his allies abroad, underscoring the political tensions surrounding the former president.