Jo-Marie Burt and Paulo Estrada write in El Faro on the Diario Militar, or ‘Death Squad Dossier’ trial, currently taking place in Guatemala. The trial is continuing against a backdrop of sustained attacks on judicial independence and threats against human… Read More ›
Jo-Marie Burt
Imperfect Justice Is Still Justice for Wartime Rape Survivors in Guatemala
Jo-Marie Burt and Paulo Estrada write, in El Faro, on the recent verdicts in the Achí Women Case and what justice means for the surviving victims – perhaps justice but not closure. The piece describes disturbing examples of gendered violence… Read More ›
Decades After Guatemala’s Silent Holocaust, These Indigenous Women Are Fighting to Bring Their Rapists to Justice
Eloise Barry writes in TIME on the fight for justice carried out by the Maya Achi women culminating in five ex-PAC members each being convicted and sentenced to 30 years. The pain endured over the years by the surviving women… Read More ›
Hope amidst the darkness: Victims continue to press for justice for wartime atrocities in Guatemala
At the end of last year, Jo-Marie Burt and Paulo Estrada presented a commentary, in WOLA, on the challenges facing those seeking justice for crimes carried out during the internal armed conflict. Many successes have occurred but the state, including… Read More ›
In Guatemala, Ex-Paramilitaries Face Trial for Wartime Rape of Indigenous Women
Jo-Marie Burt and Paolo Estrada write in NACLA about the recently started trial of former members of the Civil Self-Defense Patrols (PAC), for the rape of Indigenous women during the internal armed conflict. The PAC were paramilitary groups created by… Read More ›
More Dismantling Of Human Rights In Guatemala
News came through, the other day, of yet more egregious dismantling of the Guatemala judiciary in favour of promoting impunity for crimes against humanity. AP announced that: Guatemala’s attorney general has transferred the prosecutor leading the office that took former… Read More ›
Amnesty for War Crimes is Back on the Table
In the midst of attempts to block justice being carried out either with regard to corruption or historical crimes, particular powers are attempting to introduce, into law, amnesty for crimes against humanity and genocide. Jeff Abbott writes in The Progressive… Read More ›
Eleven Former Members of the Military Arrested for Crimes against Humanity in the Death Squad Diary Case.
A few days ago, Impunity Watch released a press statement regarding the arrests of eleven former members of the military on charges of crimes against humanity. On May 27, 2021, the human rights unit of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and… Read More ›
The Future of War Crimes Prosecutions in Guatemala
The Open Society Justice Initiative is ending its monitoring of grave crimes trials in Guatemala through its International Justice Monitor website. This is the final post. Guatemala Solidarity Network wishes to thank OSJI for its contribution to the struggle for… Read More ›
Another Senior Military Official Indicted on Genocide Charges in Guatemala
By Jo-Marie Burt and Paolo Estrada for International Justice Monitor Last week, a Guatemalan court indicted another senior military official accused of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Maya Ixil population. The official, retired army general Luis Enrique Mendoza… Read More ›
Guatemala Solidarity Network 