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During Guatemala’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) this week, States repeatedly called on Guatemala to take steps to deal with three ongoing crises: attacks against human rights defenders, endemic corruption and a lack of judicial independence.
Public servants, journalists, and indigenous defenders have suffered targeting and reprisals from an increasingly brazen government, confirming the urgent need to adopt legal mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders.
Bernardo Caal, an indigenous human rights defender, has been sentenced to seven years and four months in prison for leading a peaceful opposition to construction on the Cahabón River.
On the ocassion of the annual meeting of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) Rights with non-governmental and civil society organisations, ISHR highlighted the fundamental role played by ESC rights defenders and the need for their protection.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced today the situation for human rights defenders in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras. The absence of the state, legal restrictions, and ineffective practices were highlighted as obstacles that must be urgently tackled by governments. Spanish version
Following a seven year legal battle, the Guatemalan Criminal Court acquitted Pascual and recognised that the defense of human rights should not be criminalised.
ISHR commends the Constitutional Court of Guatemala for issuing an injunction against legislative reforms that would have expanded the ability of the Executive to arbitrarily interfere in the operations of non-governmental organisations.
Over two intense weeks, 18 dedicated human rights defenders participating in ISHR’s 2019 Human Rights Defenders Advocacy Programme (HRDAP) exchanged experiences, strengthened their skills, put them into practice, and built a network of allies in Geneva and across the globe.
ISHR's flagship Human Rights Defenders Advocacy Programme begins on Monday 17 June, with 18 inspiring human rights defenders from around the globe travelling to Geneva to learn how to use the UN mechanisms for even greater impact on the ground.
Guatemala faces a grave crisis as efforts to hold the powerful to account following decades of conflict are being undermined. Key achievements must be safeguarded and the rights of defenders protected, said ISHR in a statement to the Human Rights Council.
In the first time before a national court, ISHR submitted a third party intervention before the Guatemalan Constitutional Court regarding a criminal libel case against indigenous human rights defender Daniel Pascual.
Latin America is home to some of the world’s most indispensable and vulnerable human rights defenders. In a context where human rights abuses are common, ISHR hosted a consultation to collect insights from defenders in the region about the creation and implementation of national laws for their protection.
