Colombia will “modernize” the police in the wake of criticism of the violence against the new protests

Colombian security forces have been accused of using excessive force in protests against the state government.

Colombian President Ivan Duque has announced plans to “modernize” the country’s police, including providing human rights training and greater oversight to officials as his government is criticized for using force against protesters.

Anti-government demonstrations have been all over Colombia since the end of April, when thousands took to the streets against a now-withdrawn tax reform proposal, critics said would disproportionately harm the middle class and working class.

Huge rallies have continued, and protesters have expanded the list of demands to include health and education reforms, among others – while violence has escalated, especially in the city of Cali, epicenter of protest.

The exact number of deaths associated with the protests continues to be discussed, but human rights groups say security forces have killed dozens of people. The Attorney General’s Office says 20 dead are linked to the demonstrations.

At a ceremony to celebrate police promotions on Sunday, Duque said his government would ask Congress to create a police human rights directorate that will seek international political support and create a new education directorate for officer training.

Duque said he “promised to create a decree that will modernize the structure of the national police, especially to strengthen human rights policy …”.

“This structure will mark the protection, prevention and respect of human rights because it will create a human rights directorate in the national police,” the president said, adding that human rights support must be given full protection by organizations “today more than ever.”

The law, which will be proposed on the first day of the next legislature in July, would also create a new complaints system and expand disciplinary rules for civil servants, overseen by an independent center.

Duque said the government is working on a law to establish the legitimate use of existing criteria and another to regulate the use and sale of unarmed weapons.

Without specifically asking police advocates for “reform,” Duque ordered a “transformation” of the police in response to the defense ministry.

The announcement coincides with a visit to Colombia by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to investigate protest-related violence. Committee he said plans to hold personal and virtual meetings with civil society actors in the coming days.

Last Sunday, the head of United Nations Rights the alarm appeared in the face of the violence of the last alarm kalian, he left over a dozen dead at the end of last month, and called for independent investigation and responsibility for the violence.

“It is essential that all those involved in causing injury or death, including state officials, conduct swift, effective, independent, impartial and transparent investigations and hold those responsible accountable,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle. Bachelet said in a note.

Negotiations between the Duque government and the national strike committee stopped last week, but is expected to resume on Sunday afternoon. The committee is made up of unions, student groups and other civil society organizations.

Demonstrators have demanded that Duque denounce the excessive force of the police and address the differences in the country.