Trial Date Set for Murder of Dutch Journalists During El Salvador War

The trial against former Defense Minister José Guillermo García and two other colonels for the murder of four Dutch journalists will start on April 23, 2025. The journalists were killed during a military ambush in 1982 while covering the Salvadoran civil war. The court will evaluate evidence and issue its ruling in this final phase of a process that began in 2018.

On April 23, the trial of a former El Salvador Defense Minister and two colonels accused of murdering four Dutch journalists will commence. This follows the tragic incident that occurred on March 17, 1982, when journalists Jan Cornelius Kuiper Joop, Koos Jacobus Andries Koster, Hans Lodewijk ter Laag, and Johannes Jan Willemsen were killed during a military ambush while documenting the Salvadoran civil war (1980-1992).

The trial is described as a “historic trial” and is set to last for one week, as confirmed by the Salvadoran Association for Human Rights and the Comunicándonos Foundation. Currently, General José Guillermo García, aged 91, and Colonel Francisco Antonio Morán, aged 93, are under arrest in a private hospital, while Mario Reyes Mena, aged 85, lives in the United States, with his extradition recently approved.

These former military leaders are accused in a case that began in 2018. Lawyer Pedro Cruz stated that the court will assess evidence and deliver a verdict during this final hearing. The Court of First Instance of Dulce Nombre de María will oversee the proceedings, which may continue in the absence of Colonel Reyes. A 1993 UN-created Truth Commission found that the ambush was planned by Colonel Reyes with the complicity of other military officers.

The upcoming trial marks a significant step in addressing the historical injustices faced by the victims and their families during a tumultuous period in El Salvador’s history. It underscores the importance of accountability for human rights violations, especially concerning the actions taken during the civil war. As the trial approaches, there is a renewed focus on the need for justice and truth in relation to past atrocities.

Original Source: ticotimes.net