“I recommend that the Attorney General stops its criminalization process“, Said the special rapporteur of the United Nations about the independence of magistrates and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, When presenting the preliminary report of your two -week visit to Guatemala.
During her stay in Guatemala, the rapporteur met with Social sectors, indigenous groups, judicial officials and deputies. He also held encounters separately with Bernardo Arévalo and Consuelo Porras.
“I’ve heard To people who are afraid And that’s why I have dedicated so much time in my statement to talk about the criminalization process. Criminalization is terrifyingIt is something that nobody wants to experience, ”he added.
According to the preliminary report, among the “Criminalization objectives“From the prosecution there are”numerous people linked to the fight against corruption and impunity“
“Those who have tried to end impunity and corruption, defend human rights or denounce abuse of power are increasingly faced with digital harassment, threats and imposition of criminal charges“Satterthwaite added in a statement about his recommendations.
After the meeting with Satterthwaite last week, the prosecutor defended himself from the accusations and He said that the institution that directs “investigates” and “does not criminalize”. “In the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) There are no exceptions. The law is for everyone, ”Porras wrote in X.
For its side, Arévalo He denounced before the rapporteur the existing “limitations” in the country for An independent system, mainly because of batons.