Ricardo Medina-Rico

Research Analyst
ricardo.medina@utoronto.ca

Biography

Ricardo Medina-Rico is a Colombian lawyer with degrees in Criminal Law and Administrative Law from Universidad del Rosario (Colombia). He holds a postgraduate degree in Criminal Law from Universidad de Salamanca (Spain), a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain), and a Master of Arts in Education from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Mexico).

His expertise includes Human Rights, Transitional Justice, Criminal Law, and societal equity. He has served as a delegated representative Ombudsman in Human Rights in Bogotá, overseeing compliance with policies, plans, and projects to promote and defend human rights and international humanitarian law. His work focused on verifying actions promoting human rights with a differential approach, emphasizing special constitutional protection for various groups in Bogota City.

With three years as a Senior Legal Officer at the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, he worked on Cases 05 and 02. In the academy, Ricardo has lectured and conducted research in various Colombian universities. He has written books and papers on human rights, constitutional law, criminal law, and transitional justice.

In his earlier role as a young researcher at Universidad del Rosario and in subsequent roles, including Academic Secretary at the School of Law, Universidad del Rosario, he was involved in internal reviews and data analysis to assess the effectiveness of Law and postgraduate programs. He implemented improvements, ensured compliance with Colombian law, and maintained quality assurance procedures.

Currently, Ricardo serves as a Research Officer at the University of Toronto in the Transnational Justice Project and the Transformative Memory Project. Simultaneously, he works as a Research Analyst for the UTQAP Process at the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies. He is pursuing his PhD at Universidad de Salamanca (Spain) and is President of the Universidad del Rosario School of Law Bar Alumni Association.

Research Areas

  • Transnational Justice

  • International Criminal Law

Areas of interest

  • Criminal Law

  • Transitional Justice

  • Human Rights

Publications

Books

  • Medina, R. et al (Ed.) (2022). “Guidelines for the Intervention of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Criminal Matters." Personería de Bogotá. (Translated from Spanish: Guía de Intervención del Ministerio Público en Asuntos Penales).

  • Medina, R. et al (Ed.) (2021). “30 years of the constituent process and the 1991 Constitution, past, present and future." Grupo Editorial Ibáñez y Universidad del Rosario. (Translated from Spanish: 30 años del proceso constituyente y la Constitución de 1991, pasado presente y futuro).

  • Acosta-Zárate, L., Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (Ed.) (2020). Handbook of Public Servant Responsibility. (Translated from Spanish: “Manual de Responsabilidad del Servidor Público”). Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch.

  • Medina, R. et al (Ed.) (2019). “Regulatory Framework of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace.” Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch. (Translated from Spanish: Marco normativo de la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz).

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2019). "Handbook of Oral Trial Techniques. Editorial Gustavo Ibáñez y CESJUL." (Translated from Spanish: Manual de Oralidad y Técnicas de Juicio en el Sistema Penal Acusatorio)

  • Acosta-Zárate, L., Bernate, F., Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (Ed.) (2019). "Ibeoamerican Penal Codes." Tomo I. Ediciones Jurídicas Gustavo Ibáñez (Translated from Spanish: Códigos Penales Iberoamericanos, Tomo I)

  • Medina, R. (2017). "Unlawful evidence and exclusionary rule in criminal matters." Editorial Universidad del Rosario. (Translated from Spanish: Prueba Ilícita y Regla de Exclusión en materia penal).

Chapters in books

  • Castro, C. & Medina, R. (2021). "The administration of justice and the constituent power in the 1991 Constitution." In: 30 years of the constituent process and the Constitution of 1991. Grupo Editorial Ibáñez. (Translated from Spanish: La administración de justicia y el poder constituyente en la Constitución de 1991).

  • Medina, R. et al. (2021). "Constituent Power and fiscal control, thirty years since the enactment of the Political Constitution of 1991." In: 30 years of the constituent process and the Constitution of 1991. Grupo Editorial Ibáñez. (Translated from Spanish: Poder Constituyente y control fiscal, treinta años desde la promulgación de la Constitución Política de 1991)

  • Medina, R. (2020). “Precautionary measures on assets in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace. A look from the provisional measures in International Law”. In: Special Jurisdiction for Peace. Editorial Gustavo Ibañez. (Translated from Spanish: Las medidas cautelares sobre bienes en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz. Una mirada a partir de las medidas provisionales en el Derecho Internacional).

  • Acosta-Zárate, L., Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2020). "Criminal liability of public servants" (Translated from Spanish: "Responsabilidad penal de los servidores públicos"). In: Handbook of Public Servant Responsibility. (Translated from Spanish: "Manual de Responsabilidad del Servidor Público"). Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L., Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2020). "The disciplinary regime of public servants" (Translated from Spanish:  "Régimen disciplinario del servidor Público"). In: "Handbook of Public Servant Responsibility." (Translated from Spanish: "Manual de Responsabilidad del Servidor Público"). Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2019). "Crimes against the existence and security of the State." In: Criminal law Handbook. Special section. Second Edition. Editorial Universidad del Rosario y Editorial Temis. (Translated from Spanish: "Delitos contra la existencia y seguridad del Estado").

  • Bernate, F. & Medina R. (2015). Co-authorship and Conspiracy to commit a crime. In: "Critical studies of the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Justice." Editorial Universidad de los Andes. (Translated from Spanish: Coautoría y Concierto Para delinquir).  

  • Medina, R. et al (2012). Approach to university autonomy vis-à-vis higher education reform. In: "Universidad del Rosario's contribution to the debate on higher education" in Colombia. Editorial Universidad del Rosario. (Translated from Spanish: Enfoque de la autonomía universitaria frente a la reforma de la educación superior).

Articles in journals

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2021). “The principle of legality: from the French Revolution to the standards of imputation required in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace”. (Translated from Spanish: El principio de legalidad: de la revolución francesa a los estándares de imputación requeridos en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz) In: Boletín de Ciencias Penales. Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Políticas de la Universidad de Panamá.

  • Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2019). “Restorative Justice in Colombia. From the retributionism of the 19th century to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace”. (Translated from Spanish: La Justicia restaurativa en Colombia. Del retribucionismo del siglo XIX a la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz). Revista Internacional Metodhos. Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito Federal (CDHDF). Ciudad de México. No. 16.

  • Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2019). “Conscientious objection to voluntary termination of pregnancy in Colombia” (Translated from Spanish: La objeción de conciencia frente a la interrupción voluntaria del embarazo en Colombia). Revista Academia y Derecho. Universidad Libre de Cúcuta. Volumen 10, No. 18

  • Medina, R. & Salazar, W. (2019). “National and international standards of penitentiary and prison treatment in Colombia. A study of the prison of Neiva (Huila)”. (Translated from Spanish: Estándares nacionales e internacionales del tratamiento penitenciario y carcelario en Colombia. Un estudio de la cárcel de Neiva (Huila)). Revista Prolegómenos. Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. Volumen 22. No. 43.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2018). “Is administrative capture an applicable measure in our current regulatory system?” (Translated from Spanish: ¿Es la captura administrativa una medida aplicable en nuestro sistema normativo vigente?). Revista Misión Jurídica. Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca. Volumen 11. No. 1.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2017). “The conciliation and mediation in the Colombian criminal process”. (Translated from Spanish: La conciliación y la mediación en el proceso penal colombiano) In: Revista Via Iuris, 22, ISSN 1909-575.  

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2017). “The evidentiary function of public and private documents in the documentary falsification crimes”. (Translated from Spanish: La función probatoria del documento público y privado en los tipos penales de falsedad documental). In: Departamento de Comunicaciones, Mercadeo y Publicaciones Universidad la Gran Colombia, No. 1, Vol. 19. ISSN: 1794-1598.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2017). “The role of the Intervener in the Colombian Criminal-Legal System”. (Translated from Spanish: La Figura del Interviniente en el Ordenamiento Jurídico-penal colombiano) In: Colombia Foro FICP. ISSN: 2340-2210.

  • Medina, R. (2016). “ The predetermined offender: from Italian Positive Criminology to neuroscience”. (Translate from Spanish: El delincuente predeterminado: de la Criminología Positiva Italiana a la neurocientificidad). In: Revista Criterio Jurídico – Pontificia Universidad Javeriana – Cali, volumen 15, No. 2.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2016). “The dawn of the Social Rule of Law in the Colombian State “. (Translated from Spanish: Los albores del Estado Social de Derecho en el Estado colombiano), In: Revista Jurídicas – Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de la Universidad de Caldas, volumen 13.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2016). “The crime of economic panic in light of the privatization of State-owned companies”. (Translated from Spanish: El delito de pánico económico a la luz de la privatización de empresas públicas) In: Revista Summa Iuris, Fundación Universitaria Luis Amigo. Volumen 4 – número 1. ISSN 2339-4536.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2015). “Actio popularis and annulment of administrative acts issued within public procurement”. (Translated from Spanish: La acción popular y la nulidad de los actos administrativos expedidos en los procesos de contratación pública). In: Revista de Derecho Público Universidad de Los Andes, No. 34. ISSN 1990-778.

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2015). “The victim and its compensation in the Colombian criminal systems” (Translated from Spanish:  La víctima y su resarcimiento en los sistemas penales colombianos). In: Revistas Jurídicas CUC, Volumen 11 No. 1. ISSN 1692-3030.  

  • Acosta-Zárate, L. & Medina, R. (2014). “Acid attacks: The blurred path between the factual imputation and the legal accusation”. (Translated from Spanish:  Ataques con ácido: El desdibujado camino entre la imputación fáctica y la imputación jurídica”. In: Revista de Derecho Penal y Criminología Universidad Externado de Colombia, volumen XXXV – número 99. ISSN 0121-0483.