GENEVA (11 February 2019) – The protection of human rights in Guatemala and an independent judiciary must be put at the centre of efforts by the State to combat impunity and corruption, say a group of UN rights experts*.
“There have been allegations of intimidation and threats against magistrates, judges and prosecutors. We are extremely concerned that these persons and their families could be at risk. This could affect their safety, integrity, right to privacy and reputation, and could have an impact on their independence,” the experts said.
Their concern follows a decision by the Guatemalan Government to end unilaterally an agreement with the UN, which created the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG). On 9 January 2019, the Constitutional Court granted an injunction (“amparo”) that suspended the Government’s decision to withdraw from the agreement with the UN on the Commission, but measures to terminate the work of CICIG proceeded nonetheless.