GUATEMALA: CONGRESS MUST NOT LET IMPUNITY PREVAIL

Draft law 5377 is an insult to the memory of thousands of victims of serious human rights violations perpetrated during the internal armed conflict and to their families who have been waiting for decades for justice

The Guatemalan Congress will shortly discuss a draft law (Law 5377) which seeks to grant amnesty for serious human rights violations perpetrated during the internal armed conflict. If passed, this law would lead to the immediate release of dozens of people convicted of genocide, torture and enforced disappearance, among other crimes, as well as ending ongoing investigations into these events. In light of this, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:

“Draft law 5377 is an insult to the memory of thousands of victims of serious human rights violations perpetrated during the internal armed conflict and to their families who have been waiting for decades for justice.”

“The Guatemalan Congress must refrain from continuing discussion of a law that seeks to guarantee impunity for the perpetrators of these atrocities and that violates Guatemala’s international obligations to investigate, prosecute and punish such crimes.”