Guatemala snubs human rights court, orders release of prisoners convicted of crimes against humanity

[Judi Lynn]

A Guatemalan appeals court has disobeyed a ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by ordering the release of three former high-ranking military officers convicted of crimes against humanity

BySONIA PÉREZ D. Associates Press
June 9, 2023, 5:20 PM

GUATEMALA CITY -- A Guatemalan appeals court on Friday disobeyed a ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by ordering the release of three former high-ranking military officers convicted of crimes against humanity.

. . .

It's not the first time that Guatemala authorities have disregarded rulings by the court - they've been condemned for it 14 times before. The original 2018 sentencing of the men actually came about as a result of a 2004 condemnation by the rights court, which rebuked decades of impunity in a case centered around the forced disappearance and aggravated rape of members of the Molina Theissen family.

But it's the first case Guatemala authorities have done so in a situation that involves releasing prisoners already convicted of serious crimes. It also comes as watchdogs warn of deteriorating democracy and a growing embrace of authoritarian tendencies in Central America. In Guatemala, critics have gone as far as accusing elites of trying to “hijack Guatemala's justice system" for political benefit.

. . .

Despite Friday's decision, the men still haven't been released from prison because they still await rulings in two other trials against them for crimes of genocide and forced disappearance.

More:
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/guatemala-snubs-human-rights-court-orders-release-prisoners-99974156

[Backseat Driver]

1. A case of pervasive inhumanity begetting even more?

SMH - And the desperate arrive at our border; vetting asylum seekers must be incredibly difficult - Have those alternate immigrant centers opened for business yet?

[Judi Lynn]

2. Haven't heard if they are beyond the discussion level at the moment....

I'll definitely be posting articles here when I see them, and I look every day.

What a horrendous mess. So many lives have been destroyed, so much suffering hundreds of years just so predatory humans can make sure to keep a huge distance between themselves and the powerless people they have doing all their work for them, while paying them next to nothing, keeping them living in fear, and using the military and paramilitary forces to keep them all compliant, or to torture and slaughter any of them who dare organize to seek a better life.

They have many weapons to keep the system in place, and the giant one is racism, I believe. It enables oligarchs to divide great masses of people against each other so they can't all go after the powerful ones.

[Backseat Driver]

3. A previous co-worker's daughter and SIL adopted a little girl

from Guatemala as a toddler. One saved!