Former anti-corruption prosecutor convicted in Guatemala in controversial trial

Guatemala metropolis. A Guatemalan court docket on Monday sentenced former anti-corruption prosecutor Virginia Laparra to 5 years in jail on prices of showing confidential data in a case criticized by the worldwide group.

That is the second conviction in opposition to Laparra, 44, after she was sentenced to 4 years in jail on December 16, 2022 in one other controversial case, accused of getting reported a choose with out having the authority to take action.

“For the fee of this prison offence, the sentence is 5 years in jail, with a commutable sentence,” stated Decide Moisés de León, of the court docket within the metropolis of Quetzaltenango, some 200 km west of the capital, when studying the decision.

Laparra, who has been underneath home arrest since January 4 after dealing with two years in jail, was head of the Particular Prosecutor’s Workplace Towards Impunity in Quetzaltenango when she was arrested amid a wave of repression in opposition to prosecutors and judges who had been answerable for high-profile corruption instances.

The USA and the European Union (EU) have already sanctioned Guatemala’s Legal professional Basic, Consuelo Porras, for the persecution of thirty native justice officers, together with Laparra, and others who’ve gone into exile.

Amnesty Worldwide (AI) additionally considers Laparra a “prisoner of conscience” and claims that she was arrested and prosecuted for her anti-mafia work.

Decide De León acknowledged that through the trial, which started on Might 27, it was established that Laparra “is chargeable for the crime of disclosure of confidential data within the diploma of writer dedicated in opposition to the general public administration and the administration of justice.”

The previous prosecutor was additionally fined about $6,400 and was banned from working for public workplace for 10 years.

Moreover, De León dominated that Laparra can stay underneath home arrest if he pays 64 cents for every day of his sentence (1,168 {dollars} for the 5 years).

The ruling was criticised by AI, the US authorities and the Workplace of the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

“I don’t remorse”

After studying of the sentence, Laparra lashed out in opposition to the Guatemalan judicial system and stated she acted throughout the regulation.

“Virginia Laparra has been convicted twice. I spent two years in jail for submitting administrative complaints. I’ve no regrets,” the previous prosecutor instructed reporters.

“And the fiasco of justice that we have now in Guatemala can say what it needs, I’ve my dignity intact, I don’t remorse any of my actions,” insisted Laparra, who was on the verge of breaking into tears when remembering her two daughters within the courtroom.

“The sentencing of former anti-corruption prosecutor Virginia Laparra to five years in jail is one other instance of the Guatemalan Legal professional Basic’s Workplace’s atrocious assaults on the rule of regulation,” stated Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the US, on his X account.

He additionally referred to as on judicial authorities to “cease utilizing the prison justice system to persecute human rights and justice defenders.”

“Present of cruelty”

“Immediately’s conviction is sadly one more instance of politically motivated persecution by the judiciary and the general public prosecutor’s workplace in opposition to those that have fought in opposition to corruption,” stated AI’s Americas director, Ana Piquer.

“There are not any ensures of due course of for these folks. This new conviction, simply 18 months after the primary, handed down in 2022, is proof of the cruelty” in opposition to the previous prosecutor, Piquer added in a press release.

In the meantime, the OHCHR expressed its concern in X in regards to the ruling as a result of it highlights “the dearth of ensures for justice operators to hold out their duties with out intimidation, reprisals and assaults.”

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, in energy since January, has tried to get Porras to step down, however he lacks the authority to take away her. The controversial legal professional basic has a mandate till 2026.