Geneva-Paris-Guatemala City, January 18, 2021 -
The defense of human rights continues to be a high-risk activity in Guatemala, with more than 1000 attacks on defenders in 2020 and a total lack of a public agenda that would guarantee the right to defend human rights, says a
published today by the Observatory (OMCT-FIDH) and UDEFEGUA.
As the new Executive led by President Alejandro Giammattei completed one year in power on January 14, 2021, the lack of willingness by the Guatemalan State to guarantee that those who defend human rights can do so in freedom and security is glaring.
The numbers speak for themselves: 1,004 defenders were assaulted from January to December 15, 2020. Among those, 15 were murdered and 22 survived a murder attempt.
Stopping those who spread terror by killing and maiming civilians is in our common interest. The problem is that many States are taking advantage of the…