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 Demand Review of Charges against Guatemalan LGBT Activist (01/20/09)   International Commission against Impunity (CICIG)
 HRF re CICIG on TV News (Español) (12/05/07)
 HRF re CICIG on Radio News (Español) (12/05/07)
Audio File: Radio Pacifica interview with HRF re President Bush’s trip to Guatemala (03/13/07)
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Date Issued: August 12, 2008 On August 2 two masked men swerved in front of Amilcar Pop's car, forcing him to a violent stop. The men drew guns and beat on the windows of the Guatemalan lawyer's car shouting that they would kill him. Despite injuries from the accident, Pop was able to reverse his car and escape. As President of the Guatemalan Association of Mayan Lawyers, Amilcar Pop works in defense of human rights and against discrimination and racism. The attempt on his life is the latest incident in a series of threats and harassment, including baseless prosecutions and anonymous letters and phone calls. Take action now to urge the Guatemalan government to:
Background: Human Rights First's letter to Guatemalan president regarding threats and violence against Amilcar Pop and Mayan Lawyers Association: http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/pdf/080408-hrd-carta-associacion-de-abogados.pdf Sample Letter: Sr. Francisco Jimenez Dear Mr. Jimenez, I am writing to express my concern about the recent attack against Amilcar de Jesus Pop Ac. Just after 12:00 a.m. on August 2, 2008, Pop was driving home from the Roosvelt area in zone 11 of Guatemala City when he noticed he was being followed by three men in a white dual-cabin pick up truck, with tinted windows and no number plates. The vehicle swerved in front of Pop, forcing him to break suddenly and causing him to collide with the steering wheel which produced various injuries including lacerations to his tongue. Two masked men approached Pop on either side of his car. With guns drawn they beat on the windows of Pop's car, tried to open the doors, and shouted that they would kill him. Pop escaped by quickly reversing, and then driving for 45 minutes at high speeds to escape the perpetrators, who continued to follow him for most of that time. After evading his pursuers, and given considerable bleeding from his tongue, he went to Sanatoria Cedros de Libano hospital in Guatemala City where he received treatment for his wounds and stitches to his tongue. While waiting for treatment at the hospital he noticed that the white pick-up truck was parked behind his car on the second level of the car park. When he was discharged at 6:00 a.m. the white truck had disappeared. Pop is a renowned indigenous lawyer and President of the Association of Mayan Lawyers and Notaries. The Association is a non-government organization that rejects all forms of violence. Since 2006 Pop and the Association have represented the largely indigenous communities of San Juan Sacatepequez in their opposition to a cement factory. They have also represented more than 20 community members accused of various offences in connection to their opposition of the factory. They also represent approximately 40 people detained in June 2008 in San Juan Sacatepequez around the time that martial law was declared. I fear that the recent attack against Pop is part of a pattern of intimidation intended to deter him from his advocacy. In the final week of May 2008 he received threatening phone calls at his house. Between October 2007 and January 2008 the Association received telephone threats and between May 2007 and January 2008 the Association also received anonymous letters and pamphlets with death threats.[1] These various communications had a common message: stop providing legal representation to indigenous communities opposing the cement factory. Finally, despite a lack of evidence, local authorities have accused Pop of threatening local community members and others have falsely accused him of being the intellectual author of the June 2008 murder of Francisco Tepeu Piri in San Juan Sacatepequez. Article 16 of the U.N. Basic Principles on Lawyers state that "governments shall ensure that lawyers... are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference." Article 17 continues that "where the[ir] security ... is threatened as a result of discharging their functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities." In light of the various threats and the very serious attempt on Pop's life, and in line with the Basic Principles, I ask that you re-evaluate and promptly upgrade his protection, and that of his family and colleagues at the Mayan Lawyers Association. Given the gravity of the attack against him, he should immediately be provided with police or bodyguard protection especially at his residence. I also ask that you ensure the police promptly and impartially investigate the attack and cooperate with the Attorney-General's office in prosecuting those responsible. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
cc Jose Amilcar Velasquez Zarate Carlos Rodas, Vice Minister of the Justice Sector, Aura Marina Mancilla Lic. Orlando Blanco Sergio Fernando Morales Alvarado [1] Se informa de que el Ministerio Publico ha abierto expedientes a las amenazas con numeros MP010-2007-2382 y MP010-2007-2383.
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