Small victory for justice in Guatemala

Good news: President Alvaro Colóm announced on February 25 that he will open Guatemala’s military archives to the public. These archives will help bring Ríos Montt to justice.

Watch Amnesty International’s documentary “Justice without Borders” and get the full story on Ríos Montt and other international human rights criminals.

President Alvaro Colóm announced on February 25 that he will open Guatemala’s military archives to the public. These files are believed to contain crucial information on human rights abuses committed during Guatemala’s internal armed conflict (1960-1996).

The release of the files is the realization of a key objective in Amnesty’s campaign to bring to justice ex-president General Efraín Ríos Montt and other former officials accused of genocide, torture and other crimes against humanity. We believe that the files contain information that will eventually help to convict them.

Amnesty International welcomes the opening of the military archives as a very positive step, although the real test will be whether this development results in prosecutions. AI researchers are currently organizing a mission to Guatemalan for early March, during which they will be gathering information to determine next steps in our campaign.

THANK YOU to all who have sent messages to the Guatemalan government urging the release of the files. Thousands of you have taken action, and today we can see what is possible when we join forces with the brave human rights defenders in Guatemala who every day risk their lives just to demand justice.

Sincerely,

Vienna Colucci
Director, Program for International Justice and Accountability
Amnesty International USA

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			AIUA’s documentary film “Justice Without Borders” features a very powerful story segment on the long struggle to bring Efraín Ríos Montt to justice. ©ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA