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<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a priority for me to come to Guatemala at a crucial moment in its history, and to support the country in its efforts to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, to fight against corruption and establish a clear and transformative human rights agenda,\u201d Volker\u00a0T\u00fcrk said in\u00a0a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The UN rights chief said that what happened during the 2023 electoral period was of utmost concern\u00a0to him.<\/p>\n
President Bernardo Arevalo, who campaigned on tackling corruption and insecurity, was elected\u00a0last August but opponents repeatedly challenged the results.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feared that the regressive forces who had co-opted the State structures would also succeed in overturning the popular will expressed at the ballot box,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe efforts and determination of many sectors of society, especially the 106-day mobilization of Indigenous Peoples and social movements, have been successful in preserving democracy and the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. T\u00fcrk said he saw the Government\u2019s \u201cfirm commitment\u201d to the rule of law,\u00a0democracy and human rights, and that the \u201chuman rights agenda\u201d is part of the Executive’s\u00a0programmes and activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He warned, however,\u00a0that\u00a0the three powers of Government\u00a0are not yet working in harmony.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is enormous polarization between State institutions<\/strong>,\u201d he said. \u201cPublic opinion is highly fragmented. Corruption levels\u00a0remain\u00a0very high. Mistrust between\u00a0different groups is growing.\u201d<\/p>\n The High Commissioner\u00a0stressed\u00a0the need to\u00a0tackle some of the country\u2019s main problems,\u00a0including\u00a0high levels of inequality,\u00a0gender equality and violence against women and girls.<\/p>\n \u201cChange is\u00a0possible and it is already happening<\/strong>,\u201d he insisted. \u201cAn example of that is the appointment by President\u00a0Ar\u00e9valo of six women governors.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He said among the most pressing challenges in Guatemala is the \u201cdevastating\u201d structural discrimination, racism and inequality faced\u00a0by Indigenous Peoples and\u00a0people of African descent,\u00a0who\u00a0constitute\u00a0the majority of the country\u2019s population.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n LGBTIQ+\u00a0community, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups also face discrimination, he added.<\/p>\n Mr.\u00a0 T\u00fcrk expressed deep concern over the misuse of criminal law to persecute human rights defenders<\/strong>, justice officials, journalists,\u00a0students and indigenous authorities. \u00a0Dozens now \u201cface judicial proceedings based on spurious grounds\u201d, and more than 50 have fled the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI urge the Attorney General to adopt the necessary measures so that this persecution ends\u00a0immediately. All those in exile should be able to return\u00a0immediately and in safe conditions,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr.\u00a0 T\u00fcrk said it was\u00a0particularly regrettable that people\u00a0working to stamp out\u00a0corruption, or expose it, are being persecuted.\u00a0 Also affected are those\u00a0seeking to ensure that serious human rights violations that occurred in the context of the internal armed conflict\u00a0from\u00a01960 to\u00a01996\u00a0do not go unpunished<\/p>\n He noted\u00a0the lack of progress in the search for justice, in particular the trials related to\u00a0the internal armed conflict.\u00a0 Provisions of the Peace Accords\u00a0have not been fully implemented, especially the guarantees of non-repetition.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is why I am concerned about the case of the\u00a0\u2018Alaska Summit Massacre\u2019 in 2012, in which seven people died and dozens were seriously injured when the army opened fire on a peaceful demonstration, and that it took\u00a0nearly 12 years for this case to come to trial,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the challenges in Guatemala are \u201cmanifold\u201d, Mr. Turk\u00a0said he\u00a0was\u00a0reassured that Government, civil society, Indigenous\u00a0Peoples and the private sector\u00a0\u201ccan reverse the course of the last decades and improve the promotion and protection of human rights in Guatemala.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He urged\u00a0the international community to continue supporting the Government\u2019s efforts in this regard.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\nDiscrimination,\u00a0inequality and racism<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Stop persecuting\u00a0activists<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
In pursuit of justice<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n