“When trial judges in Guatemala convicted their own former head of state, Efrain Rios Montt, of genocide last May—a worldwide first—the rule of law set down roots in a country renowned for impunity. Subsequent events have shown how fragile those… Read More ›
Justice
Brief Review of 2013
Situation of Human rights defenders The context in Guatemala in 2013 continued being hazardous for human rights’ defenders where, up to October, there were 18 assassinations of human rights defenders and 608 attacks against them, which is almost double the… Read More ›
Link Between Land Grabs and Sexual Violence Against Q´eqchí Women
Luz Mendez has posted an article on the Americas Program website describing links between land grabs and sexual violence against Maya Q’eqchí women. Relating the stories of two groups of women, who have filed claims in the courts, Mendez links… Read More ›
Judging a Dictator: The Trial of Guatemala’s Rios Montt
The Open Society Justice Initiative has just published a summary of the six week trial of Efrain Rios Montt based on the daily monitoring reports from this website. The 56-page book, Judging a Dictator: The Trial of Guatemala’s Rios Montt,… Read More ›
La Puya – Employees of EXMINGUA-KCA plead guilty to threats against journalists
Guatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC) reports that Juan José Reyes Carrera y retired Guatemalan Army Lt., Pablo Silas Orozco Cifuentes, were sentenced to two years in prison for “threats and coercion” against independent journalists reporting on local resistance to a… Read More ›
Rubén Herrera Released from Prison!
NISGUA reports, here, that Rubén Herrera, unjustly imprisoned since March 15 for his resistance to the Cambalam hydro-electric project, has been released from custody and cleared of all charges in one of two legal processes against him. While this case… Read More ›
Criminalization and Persecution of Political Prisoner, Rubén Herrera
Since Friday, March 15, human rights defender and member of the Departmental Assembly of Huehuetenango for the Defense of Natural Resources (ADH), Rubén Herrera, has been unjustly imprisoned for alleged crimes committed in relation to community resistance of the Cambalam… Read More ›
Rios Montt conviction is a victory for justice
The trial ended on Friday with the conviction of Rios Montt of genocide and crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to 80 years in prison by the three judge panel. The charges against Rios Montt former dictator and his co-accused… Read More ›
From Guatemalan Soil, Unearthing Evidence of Genocide
Miles O’Brien and Xeni Jardin report on the role of science and forensics in the Ríos Montt genocide trial in Guatemala. Here is a very good piece from PBS Newshour – “In Guatemala, investigators using forensic science have compelling evidence… Read More ›
Distorted Visions from Ríos Montt’s Trial
A piece in the Guatemala Times by Ingrid Nanne presents an interesting reflection on the trial of Ríos Montt. The racism that provided the space and motive for the brutality meted out to the indigenous since the Spanish first arrived… Read More ›
Guatemala Solidarity Network 