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UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite on Friday stated that Guatemala’s legal system is at a turning point, stressing that the country’s democratic future depends on whether upcoming judicial appointments are handled with transparency and whether criminal law is applied fairly and without political interference.
Satterthwaite raised alarm over what she described as a “disturbing pattern” in which judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and journalists have been systematically targeted for their roles in investigating corruption and defending the rule of law. Her full end-of-mission statement documented how many former officials have been subjected to spurious legal proceedings, arbitrary detention, and smear campaigns aimed at discrediting their work and silencing dissent. The report underscored that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of an orchestrated effort to undermine Guatemala’s justice institutions.
President Bernardo Arévalo met with Satterthwaite during her visit and acknowledged his government’s immense institutional challenges. He admitted that there are significant limitations in the exercise of judicial independence, citing both internal corruption and longstanding co-optation of the judiciary by political and economic elites. Arévalo affirmed his commitment to restoring the rule of law and rebuilding public confidence in legal institutions, but he also emphasized that these reforms would require international support and sustained political will.
Similarly, Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez met with Satterthwaite and discussed the government’s efforts to strengthen protections for justice operators. He acknowledged that judges, prosecutors, and lawyers involved in sensitive anti-corruption cases continue to face threats, legal harassment, and personal risk. Jiménez emphasized that the ministry is working to create safer conditions for these individuals and ensure legal professionals’ independence across all sectors.
The special rapporteur’s visit follows years of increasing concern from the international community. In late 2022, legal observers warned of politically motivated prosecutions against former anti-corruption officials. The advisors noted that these legal actions, often based on weak or questionable evidence, demonstrated how criminal law was manipulated to suppress dissent and dismantle past efforts to hold the powerful accountable.
Satterthwaite’s recommendations call for a transparent and merit-based judicial selection process, immediate protection of judicial independence, and an end to criminalizing those upholding the rule of law. Without such action, she warned, Guatemala risks further democratic backsliding at a time when public trust in institutions is already dangerously low.
As the country prepares for critical judicial appointments, all eyes remain on whether leaders will meet this moment with integrity or allow impunity and repression to deepen.
The post UN sounds alarm on Guatemala judiciary and rule of law appeared first on JURIST - News.
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Satterthwaite raised alarm over what she described as a “disturbing pattern” in which judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and journalists have been systematically targeted for their roles in investigating corruption and defending the rule of law. Her full end-of-mission statement documented how many former officials have been subjected to spurious legal proceedings, arbitrary detention, and smear campaigns aimed at discrediting their work and silencing dissent. The report underscored that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of an orchestrated effort to undermine Guatemala’s justice institutions.
President Bernardo Arévalo met with Satterthwaite during her visit and acknowledged his government’s immense institutional challenges. He admitted that there are significant limitations in the exercise of judicial independence, citing both internal corruption and longstanding co-optation of the judiciary by political and economic elites. Arévalo affirmed his commitment to restoring the rule of law and rebuilding public confidence in legal institutions, but he also emphasized that these reforms would require international support and sustained political will.
Similarly, Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez met with Satterthwaite and discussed the government’s efforts to strengthen protections for justice operators. He acknowledged that judges, prosecutors, and lawyers involved in sensitive anti-corruption cases continue to face threats, legal harassment, and personal risk. Jiménez emphasized that the ministry is working to create safer conditions for these individuals and ensure legal professionals’ independence across all sectors.
The special rapporteur’s visit follows years of increasing concern from the international community. In late 2022, legal observers warned of politically motivated prosecutions against former anti-corruption officials. The advisors noted that these legal actions, often based on weak or questionable evidence, demonstrated how criminal law was manipulated to suppress dissent and dismantle past efforts to hold the powerful accountable.
Satterthwaite’s recommendations call for a transparent and merit-based judicial selection process, immediate protection of judicial independence, and an end to criminalizing those upholding the rule of law. Without such action, she warned, Guatemala risks further democratic backsliding at a time when public trust in institutions is already dangerously low.
As the country prepares for critical judicial appointments, all eyes remain on whether leaders will meet this moment with integrity or allow impunity and repression to deepen.
The post UN sounds alarm on Guatemala judiciary and rule of law appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.