Judge sends to trial the case against Rigoberto Juárez and Domingo Baltazar
Original article written in Spanish by Nelton Rivera for Prensa Comunitaria. Read the original article here. Translation by NISGUA. By Nelton Rivera “We will continue to defend life. We will give our lives if necessary, but we won’t do it kneeling down… Where does water – life – come from? [It comes from] the trees, the mountains. We will continue [...]
Sepur Zarco guilty verdict takes major step forward in global fight for gender justice
Yesterday marked an historic day for both Guatemala and the world in the struggle to seek justice for gender-based crimes. Retired Coronel Esteelmer Reyes Girón and former Military Commissioner Heriberto Valdez Asig were convicted of crimes against humanity for the sexual and domestic enslavement of Q'eqchi women in Sepur Zarco during the country's internal armed conflict, marking the first [...]
Awaiting the Sepur Zarco verdict: “The women have spoken”
Woman outside of Sepur Zarco courtroom commemorating the victims of the internal armed conflict. Photo by CPR-Urbana “For the thousands of women who suffered sexual violence during the internal armed conflict in many parts of the country, and for the thousands of girls and women that continue to suffer sexual violence today, today we have a date with [...]
Sponsoring Communities take action: UUCA and NISGUA together in Guatemala
One of the pillars of international human rights accompaniment is the backing of a strong and active international network that commits to ongoing education of the international community about the human rights context of those we accompany, monitors the specific situations of those human rights defenders, and is ready to take action during high-risk moments or in the event [...]
Sepur Zarco: Luz Méndez talks about the emblematic case for sexual slavery
Luz Méndez, former director and current board member of the National Union of Guatemalan Women (UNAMG) spoke with NISGUA about the historic Sepur Zarco case that is currently being prosecuted in Guatemalan courts. UNAMG is one of the organizations that make up the Alliance to End Silence and Impunity and is one of the plaintiff organizations in the case – [...]
Land defenders Saúl Méndez and Rogelio Velásquez finally return home
On January 22, 2016, after spending more than two years in prison, wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, land defenders Saúl Méndez and Rogelio Velásquez were finally able to return to their homes in Santa Cruz Barillas. They arrived to a warm welcome from thousands of community members and supporters. Despite a trial fraught with irregularities and a [...]