In response to the continued criminalisation of Virginia Laparra, Amnesty International published an item in her support as a ‘prisoner of conscience’.
Former prosecutor Virginia Laparra, who was head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) in Quetzaltenango, is a prisoner of conscience who has been unjustly imprisoned for more than nine months because of her work investigating corruption cases in Guatemala, said Amnesty International today.
The trial of former prosecutor Laparra is due to begin today, 28 November, before the Eighth Criminal, Drug and Environmental Court in Guatemala City. She is charged with ongoing abuse of authority, a crime for which she could face up to nine years in prison.
“Following a thorough review of the criminal case, we have found serious shortcomings as regards the charges against former prosecutor Virginia Laparra, as well as multiple irregularities in the handling of the case. Not only is there no solid evidence that she has committed any crime, but it is clear that the reasons given by the court for rejecting her requests to be released while proceedings continue are arbitrary,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
You can read the full piece from Amnesty International here, Guatemala: Amnesty International demands immediate and unconditional release of prisoner of conscience Virginia Laparra.
Categories: Corruption, Criminalisation, Guatemala, Human Rights, Impunity, Justice, Legal, Solidarity in Action, Solidarity in Action/Guatemala, Violence
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