Amnesty International: Guatemalan authorities intimidate human rights defenders in wake of crackdown on corruption – JURIST

The harassment and criminalization of justice operators and human rights defenders by Guatemalan government officials includes multiple forms of gender-based violence and discrimination, according to a REPORT published by Amnesty International on Thursday.

The report analyzes the criminalization of female justice operators and human rights defenders in the country, highlighting any human rights violations these individuals may have suffered in retaliation for their activities. Amnesty International found that due to the significant progress Guatemala has made in the fight against corruption and impunity, affected groups such as the Public Prosecutor's Office and the judiciary have taken legal action to intimidate and criminalize individuals working to hold government officials accountable.

Amnesty International reported a documented pattern of harassment and criminalization as of 2018 that includes improper prosecutions, mistrials, cyber attacks, personal harassment, arbitrary detention and deportation. The report stated:

In the case of women justice workers and human rights defenders who are subject to criminalization, lack of protection from misogynistic attacks in public spaces, including courts, tribunals and the digital world, as well as other issues related to their gender roles and caretaker. had differentiated psychosocial impacts affecting different aspects of their lives.

Evidence obtained by Amnesty International included misogynistic remarks and gestures during the trial, online threats and harassment, as well as manipulated photos shared on social media, all of which were “intended to diminish the value of these women as professionals and in their capacity as their”. Regional Director for the Americas at Amnesty International, Ana Piquer DECLARING“Instead of being protected, these women received additional punishment simply because they dared to challenge impunity and traditionally established gender roles.”

Amnesty International offered several recommendations to the Guatemalan authorities, including that the authorities publicly and unequivocally recognize the legitimate work of justice operators and create a comprehensive policy to protect them. The organization also stated that the executive should adopt a policy of reparations for justice operators who have been criminalized and that Congress should ensure the independence of the judiciary according to international human rights law and standards.

Ana Piquer further said:

The fact that the women who reported, investigated or heard these cases of corruption are the ones who are now on trial and may have even faced jail time is a symptom of a sick justice system. Guatemalan authorities must urgently change course to heal their institutions, putting the rights of all people in Guatemala at the center, in accordance with international law, and ending this politically motivated criminal persecution.

In March, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reported that at least 126 human rights defenders were killed in the Americas in 2023. This figure included three murders in Guatemala during the last four months of the year.

Guatemala was also listed as a “country to watch” in Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks countries and territories based on their perceived level of corruption in the public sector. Guatemala scored 23 on a scale of zero (very corrupt) to 100 (very corrupt), while the global average was 43. Transparency International found that the country has repeatedly granted immunity to elite individuals for their corrupt practices, while targeting individuals who express concern about such corruption.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk has too expressed concernon the human rights situation in Guatemala, the claim that the rule of law is at risk as government accountability remains low.