Colombian court releases former president Alvaro Uribe from house arrest
Oct 11, 2020
Bogota [Colombia], October 11 : A Colombian court on Saturday ordered former president Alvaro Uribe to be released from house arrest.
Municipal Judge Clara Salcedo ruled that the new legal framework of Uribe's case did not require his detention during the investigation phase, as he had not yet been charged with any crime, reported DW News.
After his release, Uribe tweeted: "Gracias a Dios (Thank God)"
Uribe was under preventative detention under investigation for alleged witness tampering. He is the first former president of Colombia to be placed under house arrest.
According to DW News, the former president has been accused of human rights abuses during his presidency term, and is also alleged to have ties to paramilitaries.
The Colombian Supreme Court had ordered him to be placed under detention in August, which sparked outrage and protests in the country.
However, the Supreme Court handed his case to the chief prosecutor's office after Uribe resigned as a Senator in the legislature, ruling that he should be tried as an ordinary citizen.
Uribe has denied all accusations claiming that they are part of a ploy against him.
