Guatemala: Human rights must take precedence in appointment of Attorney General
| Publisher | Amnesty International |
| Publication Date | 25 April 2018 |
| Cite as | Amnesty International, Guatemala: Human rights must take precedence in appointment of Attorney General, 25 April 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b3232a0a.html [accessed 14 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
25 April 2018, 09:30 UTC
The efforts of the Attorney General's Office to fight rampant impunity and protect human rights in Guatemala must continue and even increase, Amnesty International said today, ahead of the appointment of the new Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
"President Jimmy Morales must appoint an Attorney General who guarantees prompt and effective justice for all, and who complies effectively with Guatemala's international human rights obligations," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
"This is a critical moment in Guatemala's modern history. There cannot be any backwards steps in the fight against impunity which the country has been tackling."
President Morales is responsible for choosing between six candidates who hope to assume the post of Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office for the next four years. The decision must be made by 17 May at the latest, when the current Attorney General Thelma Aldana Hernández's term comes to an end.
Amnesty International highlighted the key role which the Public Prosecutor's Office has played throughout recent years in the investigation of emblematic cases of human rights violations in the armed conflict in Guatemala, including enforced disappearances, sexual violence against women and genocide. The appointment should be made with a view to guaranteeing the continuation of the investigations of these serious cases, with the aim of prosecuting the perpetrators.
