Abstract The article is the result of an ethnographic research developed with the Arhuaco indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, between 2017 and 2020, from my participation as an expert witness before the Supreme Court of Justice (highest instance of criminal and penal matters in the country), in the process of seeking justice for the detention, torture and murder of three indigenous authorities in 1990. In the article, I analyze the complex process of the Arhuaco people to confront this act of violence by undertaking a socio-legal mobilization that invoked the presence of the Colombian state with the prosecution of what happened to the three authorities.

Resumen El artículo es resultado de una investigación etnográfica desarrollada con el pueblo indígena arhuaco de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta en Colombia, entre 2017 y 2020, a partir de mi participación como perita ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia (máxima instancia de los asuntos penales y criminales en el país), en el proceso de búsqueda de justicia por la detención, tortura y asesinato de tres autoridades indígenas en 1990. Sobre la base de esta experiencia pretendo analizar en el artículo el complejo recorrido del pueblo arhuaco para enfrentar este hecho de violencia, al emprender una movilización sociolegal que invocó la presencia del estado colombiano con la judicialización de lo ocurrido a las tres autoridades.

Non-governmental organisations are among the most notable actors in the African Human Rights landscape. They were already active at the genesis of the system where they stood out through their advocacy for the adoption of the founding instruments: the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and its Protocols. Their participation in the various mechanisms for the implementation of the rights enshrined in the Charter is also well known. They are involved in both administrative and quasi-judicial and court proceedings. They are also active in litigation and advisory proceedings. This strong presence of NGOs in the African human rights system raises questions about their contribution to the protection of Human Rights in Africa. The purpose of this study is to highlight the contribution of NGOs by systematising their role in the cases brought before the three supervisory bodies. This role is twofold. It consists of a right to report human rights violations to the monitoring bodies and a right to participate in the proceedings before such bodies

Abstract We examine the case of Oxchuc, Chiapas, based on the documents generated by different entities, particularly the Institute of Elections and Citizen Participation, the Electoral Tribunal of the State of Chiapas, and a politically organized part of the town's population. The case is interesting because unlike the cases of Oaxaca and Cherán - which in another work we contrast with Oxchuc (Cruz and Long, publication pending), here the use of anthropological expert reports and citizen consultation mechanisms are used together to establish the propriety of changing the governing system from that of political parties to the system of Uses and Customs, or indigenous government. The historical and legal context is provided by the reforms of 2001 to Article 2 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States (CPEUM), which reclaims recognition and respect for the autonomy and self-determination of indigenous peoples and their communities; these elements have been incorporated into the Mexican legal framework since 1990 with the signing and ratification of Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization, and subsequently incorporated through Article 4 of the CPEUM. This case is relevant because indigenous peoples and their communities are increasingly making use of legal and jurisdictional mechanisms in the demand for their rights.

Resumen Abordamos el caso de Oxchuc, Chiapas, a partir de los documentos generados por los distintos actores, principalmente el Instituto de Elecciones y Participación Ciudadana, una parte organizada políticamente de los pobladores y el Tribunal Electoral del Estado de Chiapas. El caso es interesante porque, a diferencia de los de Oaxaca y Cherán, en este se conjunta el uso del peritaje antropológico (llamado dictamen porque no se presentó en un proceso jurisdiccional como prueba) y del mecanismo de consulta ciudadana para establecer la pertinencia del cambio de sistema de partido por el llamado de usos y costumbres o gobierno indígena. El contexto histórico y jurídico está dado por las reformas de 2001 al artículo 2° de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (CPEUM) que retoma el reconocimiento y el respeto a la autonomía y libre determinación de los indígenas y sus pueblos, que quedaron incorporados al marco jurídico mexicano desde 1990 con la firma y ratificación del Convenio 169 de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo, y posteriormente transitando por el artículo 4° d la CPEUM. El caso es relevante por ser cada vez más recurrente por parte de indígenas y sus pueblos que se haga uso de los mecanismos no solo legales sino jurisdiccionales en la exigencia de sus derechos.

The overall goal of the criminal justice system is to ensure that perpetrators of crimes are duly punished and that victims of crimes are duly exonerated. As part of the effort to achieve this goal, the forensic disciplines have become very important in criminal investigations and prosecutions in identifying the guilty and in exonerating the innocent. There is a growing number of cases where people have been convicted based on a single piece of forensic evidence. However, some of the convictions have been found to be wrong, largely, due to the lack of adequate scientific validation of the forensic science methods. Some of these methods include latent fingerprint analysis, bite mark analysis, microscopic hair analysis and firearms identification. This article critically examines the application of forensic evidence in criminal prosecutions and highlights the dangers of convictions based on a single piece of forensic evidence. The findings of recent reports, such as, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 2009 Report and President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) 2016 Report, confirm the critical role and broad scope of these forensic pattern-matching methods. The reports also indicate flaws that affect the accuracy of these methods, such as, inadequate scientific validation, coincidental results (erroneous match), human, laboratory and interpretive errors etc. Therefore, this article argues that the court should follow a cautionary approach when relying on a single piece of forensic evidence and that strong corroboration with other forms of evidence linking the accused to the crime should be required.

Abstract: The Inter-American Court of Human Rights engages in a wide use of witness and expert witness evidence. In spite of this, the norms that regulate this matter in the Court’s Rules or Procedure are scarce. Because of this lack of regulation, this work systematizes the Inter-American Court’s practice regarding these kinds of evidence, and evaluates whether they are adequate.

Resumen: La Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos hace un amplio uso de la prueba testifical y pericial. No obstante ello, la regulación de dicha prueba en el Reglamento de la Corte es muy escasa. Por ello, el presente estudio sistematiza las prácticas de la Corte Interamericana respecto de la prueba testifical y pericial, evaluando si tales prácticas son adecuadas.

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous studies and publications, there is still a common expectation that a medical assessment can confirm or rule out child sexual abuse (CSA). The truth is that CSA can never be ruled out and can seldom be confirmed on clinical grounds AIM: The objective of this article was to suggest which aspects to consider when the expert medical witness in a CSA case needs to explain why CSA can seldom be confirmed and can never be ruled out. The importance of a sound medical and medico-legal history was discussed because the history was generally the only positive 'finding' of the assessment of children who have possibly been abused METHOD: Authoritative sources were used to support the explanation of reasons for an absence of corroborative clinical findings in CSA, as defined by the World Health Organization. The authors structured the individual sections by providing a background on which to base the testimony. They then summarised the clinical forensic significance of the information which should be offered in the courts and which should reflect on the court records, to be taken into account in the eventual decision, which will be made by the court RESULTS: A guideline was provided for answering questions frequently posed to the expert witness in child abuse cases where there were no positive findings CONCLUSION: A structure for the explanation of reasons for a normal clinical examination when evaluating children who may have been sexually abused may reduce the discomfort of medical witnesses and improve the quality of expert medical testimony

Abstract This article examines two affidavits submitted to the Inter-American Human Rights System. The first is concerned with Suriname’s refusal to recognize indigenous land rights despite its international obligations. The second addresses problems associated with indigenous land titles in Guyana. Comparing the two cases permits observations about ethnographic research conducted for expert witness reports, including the need to make affidavits legible to three overlapping frames of the legal system, communities seeking recognition of their rights, and anthropology. I also consider the narrative choices in these affidavits, the political dilemmas of being an expert witness, and the compromises of short-term ethnography.

Resumen Este artículo examina dos informes periciales presentados ante la Comisión y la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. El primero, sobre la negativa de Surinam a reconocer los derechos a la tierra de los pueblos indígenas, a pesar de sus obligaciones internacionales. El segundo, sobre títulos de tierras de población indígena en Guyana. Comparar ambos casos me permite hacer observaciones sobre la investigación etnográfica a corto plazo para peritajes antropológicos, incluyendo la necesidad de hacer que estos informes resulten comprensibles en tres marcos superpuestos: el de los abogados y el sistema legal, el de las comunidades en lucha por sus derechos, y el de la disciplina antropológica. Además, considero las elecciones narrativas adoptadas en los informes, los dilemas políticos de ser perito experto y los desafíos de la etnografía a corto plazo.

Abstract In this article, I explore the role of the anthropologist in the penal law, namely his part as an expert witness in cases were indigenous people are involved. The goals of these considerations are to question our disciplinary self-perception and to open the road towards a more active role of the anthropologist in the field of criminology. I will consider some penal examples in order to illustrate the conceptual discrepancies while participating in concrete cases.

Resumen En este artículo reflexiono en torno al papel que puede tener el antropólogo al aplicar su saber al campo del derecho penal, en particular en relación con el trabajo pericial, en casos que involucren a sujetos indígenas. Los objetivos de estas reflexiones son cuestionar la percepción sobre nuestra disciplina y abrir el camino hacia una participación más activa del antropólogo en materia de criminología. Se darán ejemplos de casos penales que ilustren las discrepancias conceptuales al momento de participar como peritos en litigios concretos.

Abstract This article discusses the experience of the construction of an anthropological expert witness report with a gender perspective and the challenges of working with this perspective in the customs of the indigenous communities in Mexico. The defense of the case is carried through the Center of Rights the Women of Chiapas, who applied the methodology of participatory legal defense, which seeks to empower indigenous women in the defense of their rights. The anthropological expert witness report aim to describe the permanence and continuity of the indigenous customs and inequalities of power and gender when indigenous women seek justice.

Resumen En este artículo se narra la experiencia de la construcción de un peritaje antropológico con perspectiva de género y los retos que implica trabajar con ésta en las costumbres de las comunidades indígenas en México. El Centro de Derechos de la Mujer de Chiapas, A. C., lleva la defensa del caso y aplica la metodología de defensa participativa, cuyo objetivo es empoderar a las mujeres indígenas en la defensa de sus derechos. El peritaje procura dar testimonio de las permanencias y continuidades en las costumbres indígenas y las desigualdades de poder y género cuando las mujeres indígenas buscan justicia.

ABSTRACT Surgical-legal declarations were often called «declaraciones de esencia» in lawsuits and witness statements in 18th century Spain. These were medical certifications, in which surgeons and blood-letters dictated to a notary a detailed description of the wounds observed in the victim of an aggression. This is a highly interesting textual genre for studying the medical lexicon used in day-to-day therapeutic practice, because it gathers both vernacular vocabulary and technical medical and anatomic terminology used at the time. The article closes with the transcription of seven declarations drawn up by surgeons and blood-letters in the Kingdom of Granada, selected from among the thirty-seven that form our study corpus.

RESUMEN En los pleitos y probanzas del siglo XVIII, las declaraciones quirúrgico-legales se denominan frecuentemente «declaraciones de esencia». Son certificaciones médicas llevadas a cabo por cirujanos y sangradores en las que dictan a un escribano la descripción minuciosa de las heridas sufridas por las víctimas de una agresión. Se trata de un tipo textual interesantísimo para estudiar el léxico médico que se empleaba en el día a día de la práctica terapéutica, porque recoge tanto las voces populares como los tecnicismos médicos y anatómicos de la época. El artículo se cierra con la transcripción de siete declaraciones redactadas por cirujanos y sangradores del reino de Granada, seleccionadas de las treinta y siete que configuran nuestro corpus de estudio.

El objetivo fue identificar los criterios de orden legal y científico en el derecho probatorio del sistema penal que incidieron en el proferimiento de sentencias de los enjuiciados por delitos sexuales entre el 2009-2010 en dos municipios del Valle del Cauca. El método utilizado consistió en el estudio de casos en 21 fallos entre el 2009-2010, con aplicación de variables sociodemográficas, médicolegales/ científico-forenses utilizadas para la descripción de los casos. En los análisis realizados en SPSS, se calcularon medidas de tendencia central, posición y dispersión a los datos cuantitativos, y a los cualitativos se les calcularon proporciones y razones. Se usó el test de chi cuadrado y un valor de p ≤=0,05 fue considerado como significante. Los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron que las mujeres entre 5-14 años fueron las más afectadas, y sus agresores, prevalentes familiares. La mayoría de los casos fueron actos sexuales abusivos, dos de acto sexual agravado en concurso homogéneo y heterogéneo. El informe médico-legal estuvo en todas las sentencias, y le siguió, en orden de frecuencia, el de psicología forense. Los ausentes en su mayor proporción fueron los de biología o genética forense. La investigación realizada permitió concluir que es tarea de los jueces garantizar la integridad de los menores víctimas de abuso sexual; no obstante, para ello cuentan con poco acervo probatorio científico-forense

The objective was to identify criteria of legal and scientific nature in the probative law of the criminal system having influenced the delivery of judgments and the passing of sentences for those having been prosecuted or tried for sexual crimes over 2009-2010 in two Valle del Cauca municipalities. The method used involved case studies in 21 court decisions taking place from 2009 through 2010 with the application of socio-demographic, medical-legal/scientific forensic variables used in the respective descriptions. In analyses conducted with SPSS, central trend measures, position and dispersion were calculated for quantitative data, and proportions and rations for those of qualitative nature. The Chi-square test was used, and a p ≤=0.05 value was deemed significant. The results obtained evidenced that females between the ages of 5 through 14 were the most aff ected, aggressors being often family members. Most cases referred to abusive sexual acts, two of them aggravated, in multiple and concomitant combination. In order of frequency, in all judgments there were medicallegal and forensic psychology reports. In a larger proportion, reports concerning biology or forensic-genetics were not available. Research carried out helped conclude that judges should be in charge of ensuring the integrity of minors having been victims of any form of sexual abuse; notwithstanding this responsibility, their probatory material and scientific-forensic evidence on hand are very poor

O objetivo foi identificar os critérios de ordem legal e científica no dereito probatório do sistema de justiça criminal que afetaram a proferimento das sentenças dos processados por crimes sexuais entre 2009-2010 em dois municípios de Valle del Cauca. O método utilizado foi o estudo de casos em 21 senteças entre 2009-2010, com aplicação de variáveis sociodemográficas médico-legais / científico-forenses, utilizadas na descrição dos casos. Nas análises realizadas no SPSS, as medidas de tendência central, posição e dispersão foram calculadas aos dados quantitativos e proporções e razões foram calculadas aos qualitativos. O teste de qui-quadrado e um valor p ≤=0,05 foi usado e foi considerado como significativo. Os resultados mostraram que as mulheres com idade entre 5-14 anos foram as mais afetadas, e seus agressores, prevalentes parentes. A maioria dos casos foram atos sexuais abusivos, dois de ato sexual agravado em concurso homogêneo e heterogêneo. O relatório médico-legal estave em todas as senteças, e seguido, em ordem de freqüência, um de psicologia forense. Os ausentes em maior proporção foram os de biologia ou genética forense. A pesquisa levou à conclusão de que é a tarefa dos juízes garantir a integridade das crianças vítimas de abuso sexual; no entanto, para isso têm pouca evidência forense científica

La propuesta de valoración de la prueba pericial en un régimen procesal con tendencia holística es un estudio desde la epistemología del testimonio sobre la justificación de la aceptación del conocimiento en la decisión. Se concluye que la valoración no debe limitarse a un soliloquio del juez con su reducido conocimiento de la vida, sino que él requiere de una experimentación previa en el contexto procesal en el que la prueba pericial se somete a juicios de admisibilidad, a los interrogatorios en su práctica y otras actuaciones que le ayuden a establecer signos de fiabilildad sobre el perito y su conocimiento.

A proposta de apreciação da prova pericial em um regime procesual de tendência holistica é um estudo a partir da epistemologia do testemunho a justificativa para a aceitação do conhecimento na decisão. Conclui-se que a apreciação não deve ser limitado a solilóquio de um juiz com o seu pequeno conhecimento da vida, mas requer uma experiência anterior no contexto processual em que a prova pericial está sujeito a teste de admissibilidade, os interrogatórios na sua prática e outras atividades para ajudar o juiz a estabelecer sinais de fiabilildad sobre o perito eo seu conhecimento.

The proposal for assessment of expert testimony in a holistic trend procedural system is a study from the epistemology of testimony about the justification of acceptance of knowledge in the decision. It is concluded that the assessment should not be limited to a judge's soliloquy with its reduced knowledge of life, but rather he requires a previous experiment in the procedural context in which expert evidence is subject to admissibility test, the interrogations in their practice and other activities to help the judge to establish signs of relibly about the expert witness and his knowledge.

La proposition de l'appréciation de la preuve d'expert dans un système de la procédure pénale de tendance holistique est une étude à partir de l'épistémologie du témoignage sur la justification de l'acceptation de la connaissance dans la décision. Il est conclu que l'appréciation ne doit pas être limitée au soliloque d'un juge avec son réduit connaissance de la vie, mais plutôt, il exige une expérience précédente dans le contexte procédural dans lequel la preuve d'expert est soumise à des jugements d'admissibilité, les interrogatoires dans leur pratique et d'autres activités pour aider le juge à établir des signes de fiabilité sur le témoin expert et sa connaissance.

Al contador público le corresponde actuar como auditor forense en los procesos judiciales adelantados por delitos económicos y financieros como profesional "auxiliar de la justicia en los casos que señala la Ley, como perito expresamente designado para ello" (Congreso de la República, 1990). El presente documento compila los referentes normativos, procedimientos y metodología que el contador público en Colombia requiere emplear en la recopilación, divulgación y atestación de la evidencia válida y suficiente en la detección del fraude contable, desde cuatro fases específicas: (1) planeación, (2) elaboración y desarrollo, (3) comunicación de resultados y (4) monitoreo. En cada una de estas etapas, las normas internacionales de auditoría, el código penal, el código de procedimiento civil, el código de procedimiento penal y los lineamientos contables estipulados en la normatividad colombiana son los referentes propicios para la obtención de la evidencia valedera como prueba pericial contable especializada ante los tribunales de la justicia

Public accountants can act as forensic auditors in judicial processes carried out by economic and financial crimes as "a judicial officer in cases indicated by the law, or as an expert witness expressly designated for such"(Congress of the Republic of Colombia, 1990). This document compiles the legal regulations, procedures, and methodology that public accountants in Colombia need to use in collecting, disclosing, and testifying to valid and sufficient evidence detecting accounting fraud, from four specific phases: (1) planning, (2) design and development, (3) communication of results, and (4) monitoring. In each of these stages, international auditing standards, the criminal code, code of civil procedure, criminal procedure code and accounting guidelines stipulated in the Colombian regulations are the suitable references to obtain valid evidence as specialized accounting expert proof in courts of justice

Le comptable public doit agir comme auditeur légal dans les processus judiciaires correspondant à des délits économiques et financiers en tant que professionnel "auxiliaire de la justice pour les cas signalés par la Loi, tel que expert désigné expressément pour cela" (Congrès de la République, 1990). Ce document présente la compilation de référents normatifs, de procédures et de méthodologies que le comptable public doit utiliser en Colombie pour le recueil, la divulgation et l'attestation de l'évidence valide et suffisante pour la détection du fraude comptable depuis quatre phases spécifiques : (1) planification, (2) élaboration et développement, (3) communication des résultats, et (4) contrôle. Dans chaque étape, les normes internationales d'audit, le code pénal, le code de procédure civil, le code de procédure pénal et les lignes directrices comptables stipulées dans la normativité colombienne sont les référents indiqués pour obtenir l'évidence valable en tant que preuve comptable judiciaire spécialisée face aux tribunaux de justice