Switzerland, September 14, 2025
With the strength of international solidarity and thanks to the perseverance and commitment of people exiled and persecuted by the Colombian establishment, as well as migrants and Colombian associations abroad, the International Meeting for the Freedom of Simón Trinidad and Peace in Colombia was held in Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland, on September 12 and 13, 2025.
The event was attended by broad participation from human rights organizations, migrant and refugee groups, solidarity groups for political prisoners, academics, left-wing parties, and renowned democratic figures from various European countries.
After hearing firsthand the arguments of Mark Burton, his defense attorney in the U.S., and the analysis of experts in international humanitarian law and human rights, the meeting concluded that Simón Trinidad's detention in the U.S. is unjust, violates human rights and international humanitarian law, and constitutes an obstacle to the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement signed between the former FARC-EP and the Colombian State, as well as to the search for a political solution to the internal conflict.
Simón Trinidad's detention constitutes an unfair political trial, given that the crimes for which he was extradited and subsequently convicted correspond to fraudulent charges fabricated to punish his political rebellion in Colombia. Furthermore, his extradition and conviction do not comply with international law, nor with Colombian or U.S. standards, which prohibit the extradition and prosecution of foreigners for political reasons.
By subjecting Simón Trinidad to periods of confinement of up to 23 hours a day and prolonged solitary confinement for more than two decades, his human rights have been systematically violated. These “special administrative measures,” as the U.S. prison administration euphemistically calls them, constitute cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment that neither the international community nor American society should tolerate.
Simón Trinidad was accredited as a member of the FARC-EP Peace Commission for the Havana talks and signed the agreements reached. He also joined the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), benefiting from the amnesty granted by the Colombian State. In November 2024, the government of Gustavo Petro formally requested a humanitarian pardon from the US authorities to allow his participation in transitional justice; however, to date, there has been no response. The US refusal to facilitate his appearance before the JEP disregards the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, backed by the international community and the UN, and hinders the full exercise of the rights to Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Non-Repetition for Colombian society.
It is recognized that Simón Trinidad is a true ambassador of peace, and that peace in Colombia cannot be complete while he remains unjustly detained in the United States. Therefore, the cause of his freedom must be embraced by all of Colombian society and supported by the democratic peoples of the world who promote and respect human rights, thus supporting the collective desire for a Colombia at peace with social justice. In this regard, we call for redoubling national and international efforts for Simón Trinidad's freedom, promoting coordinated actions that integrate his legal defense, the support of social organizations, and international solidarity. We encourage the promotion of humanitarian, diplomatic, legal, and communication initiatives that raise awareness of his case, strengthen the demand for his repatriation, and effectively contribute to compliance with the Peace Agreement and the construction of a Colombia at peace with social justice.
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