In a significant acknowledgment of her relentless fight against corruption under perilous conditions, Virginia Laparra Rivas, a former prosecutor in Guatemala, was honoured with the prestigious Sir Henry Brooke Award for 2025. The ceremony, organized by the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk, took place recently, in London, celebrating her exceptional commitment to human rights and the rule of law.
Joshua Rozenberg wrote:
A prosecutor who was herself prosecuted and imprisoned for fighting corruption and organised crime in Guatemala was awarded the Sir Henry Brooke Award 2025 in London last night by the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk charity.
The award honours a legal practitioner or human rights defender who, through personal endeavour in the course of his or her practice in a challenging environment, has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion, protection and advancement of human rights and the rule of law.
Virginia Laparra Rivas was appointed head of the Special Prosecutors Office Against Impunity in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala’s second largest city, in 2016.
She was responsible for investigating a corruption case against the Municipality of Quetzaltenango, involving the equivalent of $100m. Under Guatemalan legal process, she filed a complaint against a leading judge accused of leaking confidential information to the defendants.
Retaliation followed, with judges and prosecutors facing harassment and criminal proceedings. Dozens of former judges, prosecutors and magistrates were arbitrarily suspended, sacked or forced to flee the country.
You can read the full piece, with links and photo, here, Fighting corruption – Virginia Laparra awarded Sir Henry Brooke award
PublicLawLibrary.org wrote about the award:
The aftermath of her actions saw a backlash that intensified to threats and legal retaliation against her and her colleagues. Numerous judges, prosecutors, and legal practitioners were unjustly targeted—some were suspended or dismissed, while others sought safety in exile. Laparra herself faced charges of abuse of authority, leading to a four-year prison sentence marked by alleged procedural irregularities and violations of due process. After spending 22 months in prison, she was placed under house arrest for a year before she sought asylum in Mexico, where she currently resides.
The evening in London not only spotlighted Laparra’s bravery but also served as a platform for broader advocacy for the rule of law, particularly in jurisdictions where legal practitioners are under siege.
You can read the full piece here, From Prison to Prestige: Guatemalan Prosecutor Wins Global Human Rights Award After Battling Corruption and Facing Persecution.
The case of Virginia Laparra also features in a recent report from Amnesty International, Criminalization Of Women Justice Operators And Human Rights Defenders In Guatemala
This report analyses, from a gender perspective, the pattern of harassment and criminalization of former prosecutors, former judges, former members of the now defunct Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), as well as justice operators and human rights defenders who have contributed to the fight against impunity and corruption. The study highlights the human rights violations suffered by these individuals in retaliation for their legitimate activities and makes specific recommendations to the Guatemalan authorities.
You can read and download the report here, Guatemala: The entire system against us.
You can read more about the award and about the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk, here, Alliance for Lawyers at Risk.
Categories: Accompaniment, Corruption, Criminalisation, Gender, Guatemala, Human Rights, Impunity, Justice, Report, Solidarity in Action, Violence
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