Uribe, who denies any wrongdoing, has pledged to appeal following his conviction for witness tampering and bribery.

Mr. Uribe, a towering figure in Colombian politics, was accused of trying to bribe a former paramilitary to retract testimony damaging to him.

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, 73, has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for abuse of process and bribery of a public official, marking the first conviction of a former Colombian head of state.