II. Contributions received from Member States
E. Colombia
26. The Government referred to article 13 of the Constitution, which provides for the right to equality without discrimination on the basis of gender, race, national origin, language, religion or political opinion. In 2011, Colombia promulgated Law 1482, by which the Penal Code was modified to safeguard the rights of those who were subjected to racial offences. Article 4 of that Law typified the crime of racism as the promotion or instigation of acts, practices or behaviours that constitute harassment and which are oriented to cause physical or moral damage to a person, group of persons or population on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or political or philosophical orientation. The offence of racism is punishable by prison sentences from 12 to 36 months and fines from 10 to 15 times the minimum wage. In article 7 of the Law, the offence of anti-Semitism is typified as any dissemination of ideas or doctrines that foster or encourage practices of genocide or anti-Semitism, including those that justify or support regimes and institutions that lead to such practices. The crime of anti-Semitism is punishable by sentences from 96 to 180 months, fines of 666 to 1,500 times the minimum wage, and disqualification from being considered for any public position for 80 to 180 months. Furthermore, committing such offences in a public space or via mass public media constitutes aggravating circumstances that lead to stronger punishment.
29. Finally, the Government reiterated its firm commitment to the elimination and sanction of any form of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, nationality, sexuality, language, economic or social condition, or any other reason.
Link to full text of the report: Report-SRRacism-GA-Nazism-2014-eng