Guatemala's first openly gay ngrsman Aldo Davila was only elected two months ago and has yet to take up his seat, but ath threats have already stopped him walkg the streets of his own cy.
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- U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA LANGUAGE ENGLISH ESPAñOL // MENU EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENS U.S. VISAS U.S. PASSPORTS U.S. CIZEN SERVIC NOTARIALS NEWS & EVENTS JOB OPPORTUNI BS EDUTN & EXCHANG CONTACT SEARCH×SEARCH COUNTRY/AREA AFGHANISTANALBANIAALGERIAANGOLAARGENTAARMENIAATRALIAATRIAAZERBAIJANBAHAMASBAHRABANGLASHBARBADOSBELASBELGIUMBELIZEBENBERMUDABOLIVIABOSNIA & HERZEABOTSWANABRAZILBNEIBULGARIABURKA FASOBURMABUNDICABO VERCAMBODIACAMEROONCANADACENTRAL AIN REPUBLICCHADCHILECHACOLOMBIACOMOROSCOSTA RICôTE D’IVOIRECROATIACUBACURAOCYPSCZECH REPUBLICDEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGODENMARKDJIBOUTIDOMIN REPUBLICECUADOREGYPTEL SALVADOREQUATORIAL GUEAERREAESTONIAESWATIETHPIAFIJIFLANDFRANCEGABONGEIAGERMANYGHANAGREECEGUATEMALAGUEAU.S. VIRTUAL PRENCE GUEA-BISSGUYANATHE GAMBIAHAIHONDURASHONG KONG AND MAUHUNGARYICELANDINDIAINDONIAIRANIRAQIRELANDISRAELITALYJAMAIJAPANJORDANKAZAKHSTANKENYAKOREAKOSOVOKUWAKYRGYZ REPUBLICLAOSLATVIALEBANONLOTHOLIBERIALIBYALHUANIALUXEMBOURGMADAGASRMALAWIMALAYSIAMALDIVMALIMALTAMARSHALL ISLANDSMRANIAMRIMEXIMICRONIAMOLDOVAMONGOLIAMONTENEGROMOROCMOZAMBIQUENAMIBIANEPALNETHERLANDSNEW ZEALANDNIRAGUANIGERNIGERIANORTH MACEDONIANORWAYOMANPAKISTANPALPALTIAN TERRORIPANAMAPAPUA NEW GUEAPARAGUAYPEPHILIPPPOLANDPORTUGALQATARREPUBLIC OF CONGOROMANIARSIARWANDASAMOASAN MAROSDI ARABIASENEGALSERBIASIERRA LEONESGAPORESLOVAKIASLOVENIASOLOMON ISLANDSSOMALIASOUTH AISOUTH SUDANSPASRI LANKASUDANSURAMESWENSWZERLANDSYRIAAMERIN INSTUTE TAIWANTAJIKISTANTANZANIATHAILANDTIMOR-LTETOGOTONGATRIDAD & TOBAGOTUNISIATüRKIYETURKMENISTANUGANDAUKRAEUNED ARAB EMIRATUNED KGDOMUGUAYUZBEKISTANVANUATUVENEZUELAVIETNAMYEMENZAMBIAZIMBABWEU.S. MISSN TO ASEANU.S. MISSN TO THE AIN UNNU.S. MISSN TO THE EUHOLY SEEU.S. MISSN TO THE ICAOU.S. MISSN TO NATOU.S. MISSN TO OSCEU.S. MISSN TO THE OASU.S. MISSN TO THE OECDU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-GENEVAU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-ROMEU.S. MISSN TO THE UNED NATNSU.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS VIENNA EMERGENCY INFORMATN FOR AMERIN CIZENSPREVNEXT EMERGENCY ASSISTANCELOL EMERGENCY INFORMATN AND CONTACTS ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENSREAD ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENS VIS FOR MORE INFORMATN PREVNEXT GUATEMALA 2022 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BY U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA 76 MINUTE READMARCH 21, 2023 GUATEMALA 2022 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GUATEMALA IS A MULTIPARTY NSTUTNAL REPUBLIC. THE UNTRY LAST HELD NATNAL AND LOL ELECTNS 2019. VOTERS ELECTED ALEJANDRO EDUARDO GIAMMATTEI FALLA AS PRINT FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM BEGNG JANUARY 2020. INTERNATNAL OBSERVERS NSIRED THE PRINTIAL ELECTN AS GENERALLY EE AND FAIR. THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT AND HEAD BY A DIRECTOR GENERAL APPOTED BY THE MISTER, IS RPONSIBLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE MISTRY OF NATNAL DEFENSE OVERSE THE ARY, WHICH FOC PRIMARILY ON OPERATNS FENSE OF THE UNTRY, BUT THE ERNMENT ALSO ED THE ARMY TO SUPPORT THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE TERNAL SECURY OPERATNS, AS PERMTED BY THE NSTUTN. CIVILIAN THORI MATAED EFFECTIVE NTROL OVER THE SECURY FORC. THERE WERE REPORTS THAT MEMBERS OF SECURY FORC MTED SOME AB. SIGNIFINT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSU CLUD CREDIBLE REPORTS OF: HARSH AND LIFE-THREATENG PRISON NDNS; ARBRARY ARRT AND TENTN; TRANSNATNAL REPRSN AGAST DIVIDUALS ANOTHER UNTRY, CLUDG THREATS, HARASSMENT, SURVEILLANCE, ERCN, AND MISE OF TERNATNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS; SER PROBLEMS WH THE PENNCE OF THE JUDICIARY; SER RTRICTNS ON EE EXPRSN AND MEDIA, CLUDG THREATS OF VLENCE AGAST JOURNALISTS AND UNJTIFIED ARRTS OR PROSECUTNS AGAST JOURNALISTS; SER ERNMENT RPTN; LACK OF VTIGATN OF AND ACUNTABILY FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG MEMBERS OF INDIGENO GROUPS; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR, QUEER, OR TERSEX PERSONS; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG PERSONS WH DISABILI; AND SIGNIFINT RTRICTNS ON WORKERS’ EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN, CLUDG VLENCE AND THREATS AGAST UNN LEARS. IMPUNY, CLUDG BY HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS, NTUED TO BE WISPREAD. CORPTN, EFFORTS BY ANIZED CRIMAL ACTORS TO SECURE IMPUNY, AND UNRMG OF ANTIRPTN STUTNS AND THE JUDICIARY BY RPT POLIL ACTORS MA DIFFICULT FOR MEANGFUL VTIGATN AND PROSECUTN OF CRIM, CLUDG RPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS AB, VOLVG PUBLIC OFFICIALS. SECTN 1. RPECT FOR THE INTEGRY OF THE PERSON A. ARBRARY DEPRIVATN OF LIFE AND OTHER UNLAWFUL OR POLILLY MOTIVATED KILLGS THERE WERE NO NFIRMED REPORTS THAT THE ERNMENT OR S AGENTS MTED ARBRARY OR UNLAWFUL KILLGS, BUT THERE WERE KILLGS OF ACTIVISTS UNR SPIC CIRCUMSTANC, AND RPT POLICE WERE VOLVED WH VLENT CRIMAL ANIZATNS RPONSIBLE FOR KILLGS (SEE SECTN 4). THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE (PNC) TERMED THREE PNC OFFICIALS (ONE OFFICER AND TWO VTIGATORS) WERE VOLVED THE CRIMAL ANIZATN “LOS OAJACA,” WHICH WAS RPONSIBLE FOR DG TRAFFICKG, NTRACT KILLGS, KIDNAPPGS, EXTORTN, ILLEGAL FIREARMS SAL, AND SMUGGLG. THE THREE OFFICIALS WERE ALL TRIED AND SENTENCED JULY FOR THEIR VOLVEMENT THE CRIMAL ANIZATN. THE VTIGATN REVEALED THAT THE PNC OFFICIALS LLABORATED WH MYNOR FABRIC OAJA QUIROA, LEAR OF THE CRIMAL GROUP. ON JULY 20, QUIROA WAS SENTENCED TO 256 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS PRISON FOR MULTIPLE UNTS OF MURR. AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN ALLEGED THAT AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS OF RAL AND INDIGENO ACTIVIST GROUPS WERE KILLED OR DIED DISPUTED CIRCUMSTANC BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE. SOME OF THE KILLGS APPEARED TO BE POLILLY MOTIVATED, AND ALL THE S REMAED UNR VTIGATN AT YEAR’S END. FOR EXAMPLE, ON JUNE 7, MORAL, IZABAL, UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS SHOT AND KILLED PABLO RAMOS, A MEMBER OF THE INDIGENO ACTIVIST GROUP THE COMMTEE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (CODECA), AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT A NEGOTIATN OVER LAND RIGHTS THAT AREA. CODECA REPRENTATIV ALLEGED THAT MEMBERS OF A FAY NFLICT WH CODECA OVER LAND RIGHTS ARRANGED FOR THE KILLG. THE ERNMENT’S PROSECUTN OF JOSE MRIC RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ NTUED WHOUT ROLUTN. RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ, TELLIGENCE CHIEF UNR THEN PRINT RS MONTT, WAS ACCED OF GENOCI AGAST THE MAYA IXIL MUNY DURG THE UNTRY’S 36-YEAR TERNAL ARMED NFLICT (1960-96). IN FEBARY 2021 AN APPELLATE URT LED THAT GENOCI OCCURRED AGAST THE INDIGENO MAYA IXIL PEOPLE, BUT THE APPELLATE URT CHOSE TO UPHOLD THE LG THE 2018 TRIAL THAT ACQUTED RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ OF ALL CRIM OF GENOCI. IN MARCH 2021 THE PUBLIC MISTRY APPEALED THAT LG TO THE SUPREME COURT, BUT AS OF SEPTEMBER, A FAL ROLUTN HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MOVED FORWARD S OF HUMAN RIGHTS AB OM THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT ERA. IN THE GENOCI SE OF LUIS ENRIQUE MENDOZA GARCIA, OPERATNS MANR UNR THEN PRINT RS MONTT, JUDGE SILVIA LEON OF HIGH-RISK COURT C ORRED THE SE TO E TO PUBLIC TRIAL. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED VTIGATN OF ANOTHER SE OF GENOCI OF THE MAYA IXIL MUNY OM THE LAST MONTHS OF FORMER PRINT ROMEO LUS GARCIA’S ERNMENT (1978-82). THREE HIGH-RANKG ARY OFFICERS, CAR OCTAV NOGUERA ARGUETA, MANUEL CALLEJAS Y CALLEJAS, AND BENEDICTO LUS GARCIA, WERE CHARGED THIS SE. THE PROSECUTN NTUED AGAST CALLEJAS AND LUS; NOGUERA DIED NOVEMBER 2020. IN AUGT 2021 JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ OF HIGH-RISK COURT B CID TO BRG THE SE TO PUBLIC TRIAL. CALLEJAS AND LUS, PRISON SCE 2016, WERE BOTH PREVLY NVICTED OF SER CRIM THE MOLA THEISSEN SE AND WERE SERVG 58-YEAR PRISON SENTENC. JUDGE GALVEZ LEFT THE UNTRY NOVEMBER (SEE SECTN 5), AND THE JUDGE NOW HANDLG THE SE HAD NOT TAKEN FURTHER ACTN THE CALLEJAS AND LUS S AS OF EARLY DECEMBER. ON NOVEMBER 9, AN APPEALS URT GRANTED AN JUNCTN AGAST GALVEZ’S ROLUTN THAT ORRED TO TRIAL RETIRED LONEL JABO ESDRAS SALAN SANCHEZ, ACCED OF WAR CRIM THE FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND EXECUTN OF POLIL DISSINTS. IN NOVEMBER HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE CLTTE DOMGUEZ GRANTED HOE ARRT TO FORMER ARY OFFICER TORIB ACEVEDO RAMIREZ, ANOTHER ACCED WAR CRIMAL ARRTED MAY AFTER YEARS AS A FUGIVE. B. DISAPPEARANCE THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF DISAPPEARANC DURG THE YEAR BY OR ON BEHALF OF ERNMENT THORI. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED TO VTIGATE AND PROSECUTE S OF FORCED DISAPPEARANC OM THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT PERD, ALTHOUGH AT TIM ATTORNEY GENERAL MARIA CONSUELO PORRAS STALLED PROGRS S OF GENOCI AND DISAPPEARANC OM THAT PERD. THE “DIAR MILAR” SE NTUED AGAST 14 FORMER ERNMENT AND ARY MEMBERS WHO WERE ACCED OF CRIM AGAST HUMANY, CLUDG FORCED DISAPPEARANC 1983 AND 1985 DURG THE 30-YEAR TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. IN MAY 2021 JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ ISSUED 17 ARRT WARRANTS FOR DIVIDUALS MATERIALLY VOLVED WH, OR WHO DIRECTLY ENFORCED, DISAPPEARANC, TORTURE, RAPE, AND EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTNS THE DIAR MILAR SE. ON MAY 6, GALVEZ ORRED THE SE TO BE BROUGHT TO PUBLIC TRIAL AGAST NE OF THE DIVIDUALS. (SEE SECTN 5 REGARDG THREATS MA AGAST GALVEZ.) IN NOVEMBER AN APPEALS URT GRANTED AN JUNCTN AGAST GALVEZ’S ORR FOR ONE OF THE NE, RETIRED LONEL JABO ESDRAS SALAN SANCHEZ. THE CREOMPAZ SE, NAMED AFTER THE REGNAL CENTER FOR UN PEACEKEEPG TRAG INSTUTE WHERE A MASS BURIAL SE FOR DISAPPEARED PERSONS WAS FOUND, NTUED FOR FORMER ARY OFFICERS DICTED 2017 ON CHARG OF FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND CRIM AGAST HUMANY DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. THE LAY ROLVG SEVERAL APPEALS AND RECAL MOTNS FILED 2016 PREVENTED THE OPENG OF A FULL TRIAL. BYRON BARRIENTOS AND CARLOS GARAVO REMAED CTODY. FORMER NGRSMAN EDGAR JTO OVALLE MALDONADO, ALSO CHARGED THE SE, REMAED HIDG AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LIFTED HIS IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN 2017. C. TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, INHUMAN, OR DEGRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT, AND OTHER RELATED AB THE LAW PROHIBS TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, HUMAN, OR GRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT, BUT THERE WERE REPORTED S OF PRISON OFFICIALS’ NEGLIGENCE THAT EXPOSED PRISONERS TO VLENCE AND GRADG NDNS. THE OFFICE OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSNER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) NOTED THAT DOCUMENTATN AND REPORTG MECHANISMS FOR TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, HUMAN, OR GRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT REMAED WEAK, THEREBY HRG A FULL UNRSTANDG OF THE PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM. INTERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS ALSO NOTED THAT MANY OFFICIAL PLATS CED UNSAFE AND CRAMPED NDNS AT FERI MORA NATNAL HOSPAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH. MOST OF THE PLATS REMAED UNROLVED. THERE WERE NO NFIRMED REPORTS OF IMPUNY THE ARY; HOWEVER, PUBLIC PERCEPTN WAS THAT IMPUNY WH THE PNC WAS WISPREAD. THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS TO VTIGATE AB AND THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT AND AWARENS ON DISCIPLARY SANCTNS REMAED FACTORS NTRIBUTG TO IMPUNY. THE PNC APPROVED A STRATEGY N BY A HIGH-LEVEL PNC WORKG GROUP TO STRENGTHEN S STUTNAL REPUTATN WH A MPAIGN TO BAT RPTN THAT BOTH VTIGAT PNC OFFICIALS AND PUBLICIZ SUCCSFUL S OF ROOTG OUT RPT OFFICERS. AS OF AUGT, THE PNC HAD ARRTED 50 PERCENT MORE OFFICERS THAN THE PREV YEAR FOR RECEIVG BENEFS, ABE OF THORY, AND THEFT. THE PNC REMOVED DOZENS OF OFFICERS FOR VAR DISCIPLARY REASONS, CLUDG BRIBERY ALLEGATNS. THE PNC UTILIZ THREE MECHANISMS TO INTIFY AND VTIGATE AB: AN ANONYMO TIP LE G A LANDLE TELEPHONE NUMBER, A TIP LE TO RECEIVE PLATS G A MSAGG APPLITN, AND -PERSON PLATS. THE PNC INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISN NDUCTS SURVEILLANCE OF PNC OFFICERS AND FOLLOWS A DISCIPLARY PROCS WH AN TERNAL TRIBUNAL TO CI S. INTERNAL AFFAIRS WIRETAPS CRIMAL STCTUR FOUND TO BE WORKG WH RPT PNC OFFICERS, BUT THE UN WAS NOT THORIZED TO VTIGATE CRIMAL STCTUR WH THE PNC. THE ERNMENT’S MA MECHANISM TO RID THE PNC OF RPTN IS TO REMOVE PNC OFFICERS SPECTED OF THE AB, OFTEN WHOUT VTIGATN OR TRIAL. THE PNC HAS A UN VOTED TO CRIMAL VTIGATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS VLATNS, FUND BY DONOR UNTRI, BUT THE UN LACKED POLIL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT. PRISON AND DETENTN CENTER CONDNS PRISON NDNS WERE HARSH AND ULD BE LIFE THREATENG, WH MULTIPLE STANC OF MAT KILLG OTHER MAT. SEXUAL ASSLT, AQUATE SANATN, POOR MEDIL RE, AND SEVERE OVERCROWDG PLACED PRISONERS AT SIGNIFINT RISK. ABIVE PHYSIL CONDNS: PRISON OVERCROWDG WAS A PROBLEM. AS OF SEPTEMBER, ACRDG TO PRISON THORI, THERE WERE 21,752 MALE MAT HELD FACILI SIGNED TO HOLD 7,045 PERSONS, AND 2,764 FEMALE MAT FACILI SIGNED TO HOLD 937 PERSONS. THERE WERE 518 JUVENILE MAT FOUR TRADNAL TENTN CENTERS AND THE HALFWAY HOE, WHICH WERE SIGNED FOR A TOTAL OF 557 MAT. DPE A RCTN OVERCROWDG, THERE WERE STILL 190 MAT THE CENTRO JUVENIL PRIVACIóN LIBERTAD PARA VARON JUVENILE TENTN FACILY, SIGNED FOR 155 DIVIDUALS. PHYSIL NDNS CLUDG SANATN FACILI, MEDIL RE, VENTILATN, TEMPERATURE NTROL, AND LIGHTG, WERE OFTEN AQUATE. PRISONERS HAD DIFFICULTY OBTAG POTABLE WATER, PLAED OF AQUATE FOOD, AND OFTEN HAD TO PAY FOR ADDNAL FOOD. ILLEGAL DG SAL AND E WERE WISPREAD. PRISON OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED SAFETY AND NTROL PROBLEMS, CLUDG PE ATTEMPTS, GANG FIGHTS, ABILY TO NTROL THE FLOW OF NTRABAND GOODS TO PRISONS, MATE POSSSN OF FIREARMS AND GRENAS, AND THE FABRITN OF WEAPONS. PRISONERS NDUCTED CRIMAL ACTIVY BOTH SI AND OUTSI OF PRISONS. MEDIA REPORTED THAT TRANSNATNAL CRIMAL GANGS AND DG TRAFFICKG GROUPS NTROLLED MAJOR PRISONS. IN MAY THORI TRANSFERRED 76 MAT, NEARLY ALL OF WHOM WERE GANG MEMBERS, OM THREE DIFFERENT PRISONS TO THE FRAIJAN II PRISON ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GUATEMALA CY. ALTHOUGH THE LEARS OF ONE GANG WERE TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER FACILY AND SEPARATED OM ONE ANOTHER, THE NTUATN OF GANG-RELATED AND ORDATED KILLGS FRAIJAN II SUGGTED GANG MEMBERS WERE STILL ABLE TO MUNITE ACROSS PRISONS AND ANIZE KILLGS. IN SEPTEMBER MEDIA REPORTED THAT FOUR PRISONERS, ALL OF THEM MEMBERS OF THE SAME PRISON GANG, DIED OF POISONG BY PTICI DURG A ROUTE LUNCH SERVICE WHAT ANALYSTS STATED WERE MOST LIKELY TARGETED KILLGS BY A RIVAL GANG. MEDIA AND NONERNMENTAL ANIZATNS (NGOS) REPORTED WOMEN MAT FACED PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE. WOMEN MAT REPORTED UNNECSARY BODY SEARCH AND VERBAL ABE BY PRISON GUARDS. CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN AGE FOUR ULD LIVE PRISON WH THEIR MOTHERS, BUT THE PENENTIARY SYSTEM PROVID AQUATE FOOD FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND MANY SUFFERED OM ILLNS. LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR, QUEER, AND TERSEX (LGBTQI+) RIGHTS GROUPS STATED THAT OTHER PRISONERS OFTEN SEXUALLY ASSLTED LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, AND THERE WERE SUFFICIENT FACILI TO PROTECT LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS CTODY. NGOS CLAIMED ADMTANCE PROCR FOR LGBTQI+ PRISONERS WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED, NOTG PARTICULAR NCERN REGARDG PROCR FOR TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS. ADMISTRATN: WHILE THE LAW ALLOWS PRISONERS AND TAE TO SUBM PLATS TO JUDICIAL THORI WHOUT CENSORSHIP AND TO REQUT VTIGATN OF CREDIBLE ALLEGATNS OF HUMAN NDNS, THORI FAILED TO VTIGATE MOST ALLEGATNS OR TO DOCUMENT THE RULTS OF SUCH VTIGATNS. REPORTS OM MAT DITED THAT PLATS WERE RARELY SUBMTED BEE RRECTNS OFFICIALS THREATENED THE MAT IF THE MAT ATTEMPTED TO SUBM A PLAT. INPENNT MONORG: THE ERNMENT PERMTED VISS BY LOL AND TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT, PUBLIC FENRS, AND RELIG GROUPS. THE OFFICE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN (PDH) AND THE NATNAL OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTN OF TORTURE, BOTH PENNT ERNMENT BODI RPONSIBLE FOR ENSURG THE RIGHTS AND WELL-BEG OF PRISONERS, ALSO PERDILLY VISED PRISON FACILI. D. ARBRARY ARRT OR DETENTN THE LAW PROHIBS ARBRARY ARRT AND TENTN, BUT THERE WERE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF POLILLY MOTIVATED ARRTS AND LIBERATE NIAL OF TIMELY ACCS TO A MAGISTRATE AND HEARG AS REQUIRED BY LAW. SPECTS ARE ENTLED TO CHALLENGE URT THE LEGAL BASIS OR ARBRARY NATURE OF THEIR TENTN. THERE WAS NO PENSATN FOR THOSE FOUND TO BE UNLAWFULLY TAED. ARRT PROCR AND TREATMENT OF DETAE THE LAW REQUIR PRENTATN OF A URT-ISSUED WARRANT TO A SPECT PRR TO ARRT UNLS POLICE APPREHEND A SPECT THE ACT OF MTG A CRIME. UNR THE LAW, POLICE MAY NOT TA A SPECT FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS WHOUT BRGG THE SE BEFORE A JUDGE. AUTHORI DID NOT REGULARLY RPECT THIS RIGHT. AFTER ARRAIGNG SPECTS, THE PROSECUTOR GENERALLY HAS THREE MONTHS TO PLETE THE VTIGATN IF THE FENDANT IS PRETRIAL TENTN AND SIX MONTHS TO PLETE THE VTIGATN IF THE FENDANT IS GRANTED HOE ARRT. THE LAW PROHIBS THE EXECUTN OF WARRANTS BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND 6 A.M. UNLS THE ERNMENT HAS CLARED A STATE OF SIEGE. JUDG MAY ORR HOE ARRT FOR SOME SPECTS. THE LAW PROVIS FOR ACCS TO LAWYERS AND BAIL FOR MOST CRIM. THE ERNMENT PROVIS LEGAL REPRENTATN FOR DIGENT TAE, AND TAE HAVE ACCS TO FAY MEMBERS. A JUDGE HAS THE DISCRETN TO TERME WHETHER BAIL IS PERMISSIBLE FOR PRETRIAL TAE. ARBRARY ARRT: AS OF AUGT 31, THE PNC OFFICE OF PROFSNAL RPONSIBILY HAD RECEIVED 12 PLATS OF ILLEGAL TENTN BY POLICE, PARED WH 48 2021. REPORTS DITED POLICE SOMETIM IGNORED WRS OF HABEAS RP S OF ILLEGAL TENTN, PARTICULARLY DURG NEIGHBORHOOD ANTIGANG OPERATNS. THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL, OR EVEN LEGAL, TENTNS WAS DIFFICULT TO TERME, AS MANY LSER ARRTS END WH THE TAE BRIBG POLICE TO RELEASE THEM, EVEN AFTER BEG TAED. THE TENTN OF SEVEN PROSECUTORS AND FORMER PROSECUTORS OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTN’S OFFICE AGAST IMPUNY (FECI) AND THE ANTIRPTN PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, AND OF ONE FENSE LAWYER WHO REPRENTED ONE OF THE PROSECUTORS, TARGETED PROSECUTORS WHO VTIGATED HIGH-LEVEL S OF ERNMENT RPTN. AS ONE EXAMPLE, FEBARY AND MARCH, THE PUBLIC MISTRY ARRTED NUMERO ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS, SEVERAL OF WHOM HAD THEIR ARRAIGNMENT HEARGS LAYED FOR DAYS OR WEEKS WHILE PRETRIAL TENTN AND THE ALLEGED EVINCE AGAST THEM KEPT UNR SEAL. AT THE SAME TIME, RMATN ABOUT THE HANDLG OF THEIR S WAS LEAKED THROUGH THIRD-PARTY SOCIAL MEDIA “CENTERS” TO THREATEN AND TIMIDATE. POLICE ARRTED VIRGIA LAPARRA, FORMER CHIEF ANTIRPTN PROSECUTOR QUETZALTENANGO, FEBARY FOR ALLEGED CRIM RELATED TO HER FILG AN ADMISTRATIVE PLAT AGAST A JUDGE FOR LEAKG NFINTIAL RMATN OM A SE. LAPARRA WAS DICTED MARCH AND REMAED PRETRIAL TENTN SPE APPEALS AND REQUTS TO BE ALLOWED TO AWA HER TRIAL UNR HOE ARRT. IN DECEMBER LAPARRA WAS NVICTED AND SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS PRISON. DOMTIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTIRPTN ACTIVISTS CED THIS ARRT AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PUBLIC MISTRY’S PATTERN OF HARASSG ANTIRPTN ADVOT, AND AMNTY INTERNATNAL CLARED LAPARRA A “PRISONER OF NSCIENCE.” PRETRIAL DETENTN: LENGTHY PRETRIAL TENTN WAS A PROBLEM. AS OF SEPTEMBER 13, PRISON SYSTEM RERDS DITED 48 PERCENT OF PRISONERS WERE PRETRIAL TENTN, SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN 2021. THE LAW TABLISH A ONE-YEAR MAXIMUM FOR PRETRIAL TENTN, REGARDLS OF THE STAGE OF THE CRIMAL PROCEEDG, BUT THE URT HAS THE LEGAL THORY TO EXTEND PRETRIAL TENTN WHOUT LIMS AS NECSARY. AUTHORI REGULARLY HELD TAE PAST THEIR LEGAL TRIAL-OR-RELEASE DATE. LENGTHY VTIGATNS AND EQUENT PROCRAL MOTNS BY BOTH FENSE AND PROSECUTN OFTEN LED TO LENGTHY PRETRIAL TENTN, LAYG TRIALS FOR MONTHS OR YEARS. FORMER PRINT OTTO PEREZ MOLA WAS PRETRIAL TENTN OM 2015 DUE TO DICTMENTS RPTN S KNOWN AS “THE LE” AND “CO-OPTATN OF THE STATE” UNTIL HIS DECEMBER 2022 NVICTN. PEREZ MOLA AND FORMER VICE PRINT ROXANA BALTTI WERE NVICTED AND SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS PRISON. OBSERVERS NOTED THE SLOW PACE OF VTIGATNS AND LACK OF JUDICIAL ROURC HAMPERED EFFORTS TO RCE PRETRIAL TENTN AND ILLEGAL RCERATN. AUTHORI DID NOT RELEASE SOME PRISONERS EVEN AFTER THE PRISONERS PLETED THEIR FULL SENTENC DUE TO THE FAILUR OF JUDG TO ISSUE THE NECSARY URT ORR OR OTHER BURECRATIC LAYS. E. DENIAL OF FAIR PUBLIC TRIAL THE LAW PROVIS FOR AN PENNT JUDICIARY. THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERALLY FAILED TO PROVI FAIR OR TIMELY TRIALS DUE TO EFFICIENCY, RPTN, AND TIMIDATN OF JUDG. THE PUBLIC MISTRY, HOWEVER, RAPIDLY OBTAED WARRANTS FOR THE ARRT OF FORMER AND CURRENT ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS, JT DAYS AFTER RECEIVG LEGAL PLATS AGAST THEM. SOME OF THE PLATS WERE FILED BY DIVIDUALS AND ANIZATNS WH A HISTORY OF THREATENG JTICE OFFICIALS. JUDG LAYED PROCEEDGS SO THAT THOSE SAME ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS WERE HELD PRETRIAL TENTN BEYOND WHAT THE LAW ALLOWS. CIVIL SOCIETY REPRENTATIV CED THE ACTNS AS EVINCE OF NSISTENT APPLITN OF LEGAL PROCEEDGS AND POLIL MANIPULATN OF THE JTICE SYSTEM. PLATIFFS, WNS, JUDG, AND PROSECUTORS, CLUDG JUDG OM THE HIGH-RISK COURT AND PROSECUTORS OM THE FECI, NTUED TO REPORT THREATS, TIMIDATN, AND SURVEILLANCE (SEE SECTN 5 FOR EXAMPL). ON JULY 7, NGRS APPROVED A CREE LAW ON CONSTUTNAL COURT MEMBERSHIP, WHICH NFIRMED THE APPOTMENT OF HECTOR HUGO PEREZ AGUILERA STEAD OF THE ORIGALLY ELECTED GLORIA PORRAS, THEREBY MAKG PERMANENT THE REMOVAL OF PORRAS, A TRANSPARENTLY ELECTED URT MAGISTRATE. PORRAS PARTED THE UNTRY APRIL 2021 AND REMAED ABROAD AS OF OCTOBER 2022. THE SELECTN PROCS FOR THE ELECTN BY NGRS OF 13 SUPREME COURT AND 135 APPELLATE URT MAGISTRAT NTUED LARGELY UNROLVED. THE STG SUPREME COURT AND 269 APPELLATE URT JUDG REMAED THEIR POSNS. IN 2019 THE CONSTUTNAL COURT HALTED THE SELECTN PROCS FOR SUPREME COURT AND APPELLATE URT MAGISTRAT, LG THAT FORMAL EVALUATN PROCR WERE NOT FOLLOWED WH THE SELECTN MTE AFTER A PROCS THAT SUFFERED WISPREAD MANIPULATN OF SELECTN MTE BY POLICIANS, JUDICIAL OFFICIALS, AND OTHER FLUENTIAL CIZENS. IN FEBARY 2020 PUBLIC MISTRY VTIGATNS FOUND THAT WHILE PRISON ON RPTN CHARG, GTAVO ALEJOS, CHIEF OF STAFF UNR THEN PRINT ALVARO COLOM, ACCEPTED AT LEAST 20 VISS OM OFFICIALS ASSOCIATED WH THE SELECTN PROCS HIS HOSPAL WARD THE DAYS BEFORE THE SELECTN MTE PROVID THEIR LISTS. THE CONSTUTNAL COURT ISSUED A FAL LG MAY 2020 REQUIRG REMOVAL OF NDIDAT ASSOCIATED WH GTAVO ALEJOS AND A VOICE VOTE FOR EACH POSN NGRS, BUT AS OF SEPTEMBER, NGRS HAD NOT PLIED WH THE LG. THE CURRENT MAGISTRAT WERE TO NTUE FOR THE THIRD NSECUTIVE YEAR THE POSNS UNTIL A NEW URT WAS ELECTED. TRIAL PROCR THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR THE RIGHT TO A FAIR AND PUBLIC TRIAL, AND THE JUDICIARY GENERALLY ENFORCED THIS RIGHT, BUT AT TIM, CRIMAL FENDANTS WERE NIED THE RIGHT TO A FAIR, TIMELY, AND PUBLIC TRIAL. INTERNATNAL AND DOMTIC OBSERVERS NSIRED THE NUMBER OF JUDG SUFFICIENT. LACK OF PERSONNEL, TRAG, AND EVINCE HAMPERED PUBLIC MISTRY PROSECUTORS’ ABILY TO BRG S TO TRIAL. POLIL PRISONERS AND DETAE THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF POLIL PRISONERS OR TAE. TRANSNATNAL REPRSN THE PUBLIC MISTRY REPORTEDLY IATED LEGAL PROCEEDGS GUATEMALA AGAST FORMER HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS WHO WERE LOTED OUTSI OF GUATEMALA, CLUDG FORMER FECI HEAD PROSECUTOR JUAN FRANCIS SANDOVAL AND FELLOW PROSECUTORS, TO HARASS AND REPRS THOSE FORMER OFFICIALS. THREATS, HARASSMENT, SURVEILLANCE, AND COERCN: FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL THELMA ALDANA AND HER HBAND, AN APPELLATE URT MAGISTRATE, WERE UNR VTIGATN FOR MONEY LNRG A SE THAT ANTIRPTN ANIZATNS CHARACTERIZED AS POLILLY MOTIVATED. THELMA ALDANA LEFT GUATEMALA 2019 AFTER THORI ISSUED AN ARRT WARRANT FOR HER. ALDANA HAD OPERATED AND WORKED CLOSELY WH THE UN-BACKED INTERNATNAL COMMISSN AGAST CORPTN GUATEMALA DURG HER TERM AS ATTORNEY GENERAL 2014-18. FRIENDS, FAY, AND ASSOCIAT OF SANDOVAL AND ALDANA WHO REMAED THE UNTRY, ACRDG TO REPORTS, SUFFERED OM HARASSMENT SIGNED TO EXERT PRSURE ON THOSE DIVIDUALS (SEE SECTN 1.F.). MISE OF INTERNATNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS: THE PUBLIC MISTRY ANNOUNCED DECEMBER THAT THEY HAD IATED EXTRADN REQUTS FOR SANDOVAL AND FOR ALDANA; OBSERVERS NSIRED THAT THE REQUTS WERE POLILLY MOTIVATED. CIVIL JUDICIAL PROCR AND REMEDI INDIVIDUALS AND ANIZATNS HAVE ACCS TO ADMISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL REMEDI TO SUBM LAWSUS SEEKG DAMAG FOR, OR CSATN OF, A HUMAN RIGHTS VLATN OR OTHER ALLEGED WRONGS. THE JUDICIARY SUFFERED OM EFFICIENCI AND A LEGAL SYSTEM THAT OFTEN PERMTED SPUR PLATS. IN ONE SUCH EXAMPLE, THE SUPREME COURT LIFTED HIGH-RISK COURT JUDGE PABLO XIMUL’S IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN AND SPEND HIM FOR ABE OF THORY AGAST A PATROL OFFICER WHO TAED XIMUL AT A TRAFFIC STOP AFTER THE OFFICER LODGED A PLAT AGAST HIM. XIMUL WAS THE JUDGE RPONSIBLE FOR LG ON SEVERAL EMBLEMATIC S OF ARY TERNAL ARMED NFLICT-ERA HUMAN RIGHTS AB AND RPTN. CIVIC JUDICIAL TEGRY ASSOCIATNS NSIRED THE LIFTG OF HIS IMMUNY OVER A MOR CINT TO BE POLILLY MOTIVATED. PROPERTY SEIZURE AND RTUTN NEGOTIATNS BETWEEN THE ERNMENT AND FAI AFFECTED BY THE NSTCTN OF THE CHIXOY HYDROELECTRIC DAM NTUED BUT WERE CHARACTERIZED BY OBSERVER NGOS AS BEG NDUCTED BAD FAH. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE ERNMENT HAD PAID APPROXIMATELY 99 PERCENT OF THE 200 LN QUETZALS ($26 LN) DIVIDUAL REPARATNS TO FAI AFFECTED BY THE DAM. FIFTEEN S OF REPARATNS REMAED UNROLVED. NO PROGRS WAS MA THE LLECTIVE REPARATNS, CLUDG FULFILLMENT OF ERNMENT MMENTS TO MUNY PROJECTS AND TNAL AND VELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS. DURG THE DAM’S NSTCTN OM 1975-85, MORE THAN 400 DIVIDUALS DIED, AND THOANDS WERE DISPLACED. F. ARBRARY OR UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WH PRIVACY, FAY, HOME, OR CORRPONNCE THE LAW PROHIBS SUCH ACTNS, AND THE ERNMENT SOMETIM RPECTED THE PROHIBNS, BUT THERE WERE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF HARASSMENT OF THE FAI OF CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICIALS (SEE SECTN 1.E. FOR EXAMPL). LEARS OF A PROFSNAL ASSOCIATN WH FLUENCE ON ERNMENT NDIDATE MISSNS (ERNMENT-N MISSNS THAT HAVE THE RPONSIBILY FOR SELECTG NDIDAT FOR PUBLIC POSNS) REPORTED RECEIVG PHOTOGRAPHS OM ANONYMO DIVIDUALS, MONSTRATG TO THE LEARS THAT THEY WERE BEG SURVEILLED THEIR HOM AND WHILE PUBLIC. THE LEARS CLAIMED THE GOAL OF THIS SURVEILLANCE WAS TO TIMIDATE THEM TO NOT REPORTG ON RPTN ASSOCIATED WH ERNMENT NDIDATE MISSNS AND PROFSNAL ASSOCIATNS. SECTN 2. RPECT FOR CIVIL LIBERTI A. FREEDOM OF EXPRSN, INCLUDG FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA THE LAW PROVIS FOR EEDOM OF EXPRSN, CLUDG FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA, BUT THE ERNMENT DID NOT ALWAYS RPECT THIS RIGHT. INTIMIDATN OF JOURNALISTS CREASED DURG THE YEAR AND RULTED SIGNIFINT SELF-CENSORSHIP. VLENCE AND HARASSMENT: INPENNT MEDIA WERE ACTIVE AND EXPRSED A WI VARIETY OF VIEWS. NOHELS, REPORTERS VERG ANIZED CRIME, CLUDG S LKS TO RPT PUBLIC OFFICIALS, ACKNOWLEDGED PRACTICG SELF-CENSORSHIP DUE TO THE DANGER THAT VTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CREATED FOR THEM AND THEIR FAI. MANY JOURNALISTS REPORTED BEG HARASSED, PROSECUTED, OR HAVG TO FLEE THE UNTRY AFTER PUBLISHG WORK THAT WAS CRIL OF FLUENTIAL CIZENS. MEMBERS OF THE PRS REPORTED RECEIVG PRSURE, THREATS, AND RETRIBUTN OM PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CRIMAL ANIZATNS REGARDG THE NTENT OF THEIR REPORTG. ONLE ATTACKS AGAST PENNT JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA OUTLETS NTUED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE CLUD HACKG JOURNALISTS’ PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, PUBLISHG STOLEN OR FALSIFIED PERSONAL RMATN, AND NDUCTG APPARENTLY ORDATED ATTEMPTS TO UNRME SPECIFIC JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA. DURG THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THE JOURNALISTS OBSERVATORY OF THE ASSOCIATN OF JOURNALISTS OF GUATEMALA REGISTERED 66 AB OF EEDOM OF EXPRSN, CLUDG VLENCE AND RTRICTNS AGAST JOURNALISTS. THE UN FOR THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENRS – GUATEMALA (UDEFEGUA) REGISTERED 51 ATTACKS AGAST JOURNALISTS AND MUNITORS DURG THE SAME PERD. OBSERVERS AND PUBLIC PLATS NOTED CREASED ACTIVY BY CENTERS, WHICH WERE LLECTNS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS ANIZED TO APPEAR AS PENNT DIVIDUAL ERS BUT WERE FACT CENTRALLY NTROLLED. GOALS OF CENTERS WERE TO MANIPULATE DISCSNS, SPREAD MISRMATN, AND THREATEN PERSONS ON THE TER. NETCENTERS CREATED FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, CLUDG ON TWTER AND FACEBOOK, TO CRICIZE AND FAME JOURNALISTS, JUDG, PROSECUTORS, AND CIZENS WHO REPORT ON RPTN. ATTACKS G OM CENTERS WERE CCIAL THE TIMIDATN OF JOURNALISTS REPORTG ON RPTN. IN ONE EXAMPLE OF HARASSMENT, AN ARRT WARRANT WAS ISSUED ON JANUARY 14 AGAST JOURNALIST CARLOS CHOC OF THE NEWSPAPER PRENSA COMUNARIA IZABAL FOR SUPPOSEDLY STIGATG VLENCE AND PHYSILLY ATTACKG 13 POLICE OFFICERS DURG A PROTT AGAST THE NICKEL ME EL ESTOR, IZABAL, 2021. CHOC REPORTED ON THE ALLEGED E OF TEAR GAS BY POLICE THAT PROTT. CHOC ALSO ACCED SOLWAY INVTMENT GROUP, THE OWNERS OF THE ME, OF OPERATG ILLEGALLY, DAMAGG THE ENVIRONMENT, AND VLATG THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENO PEOPL. ON SEPTEMBER 13, A JUDGE DROPPED THE CHARG AGAST CHOC. ON JULY 29, POLICE ARRTED JOSE RUBEN ZAMORA, THE PRINT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER EL PERDI, ON CHARG OF MONEY LNRG, FLUENCE PEDDLG, AND EXTORTN. JUDGE FREDY ORELLANA DICTED ZAMORA ON AUGT 9 AND REMAND HIM TO PRETRIAL TENTN UNTIL HIS DECEMBER 8 PRELIMARY TRIAL HEARG. THE PUBLIC MISTRY OZE EL PERDI’S BANK ACUNTS ON AUGT 1. IN OCTOBER THE PUBLIC MISTRY LIFTED THE EEZE ON SOME ACUNTS AFTER FDG NO EVINCE OF WRONGDOG BY THE NEWSPAPER, WHILE MATAG THE EEZE ON OTHER ACUNTS. ON AUGT 19, THE PUBLIC MISTRY AND PNC AGENTS ARRTED FLORA SILVA, EL PERDI’S FANCIAL MANAGER, AFTER A SIX-HOUR RAID ON HER RINCE, WHOUT NOTIFYG HER OF THE CHARG AGAST HER. THE PUBLIC MISTRY LATER ISSUED A PRS RELEASE ALLEGG THAT SILVA NSPIRED WH ZAMORA TO LNR MONEY. ACRDG TO THE WASHGTON OFFICE ON LAT AMERI, AN NGO WH A FOC ON LAT AMERIN RPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS, MAYAN JOURNALISTS WERE SUBJECT TO HARASSMENT AND CRIMAL PROSECUTN THE INDIGENO TERRORI OF THE UNTRY. POLICE RAID THE HO OF INDIGENO JOURNALISTS CARLOS CHOC, BDIL CHOC, AND JUAN BTISTA XOL AFTER THOSE JOURNALISTS REPORTED ON POLICE REPRSN OF INDIGENO MUNI OPPOSED TO THE PRENCE OF M THEIR TERRORI. CENSORSHIP OR CONTENT RTRICTNS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA, INCLUDG ONLE MEDIA: SOME PANI CREASED THEIR MEDIA ADVERTISG TO EXERT PRSURE ON MEDIA AGAST REPORTG RPTN, RULTG MEDIA OUTLETS BEG LS PENNT. NONERNMENTAL IMPACT: ORGANIZED CRIME EXERTED FLUENCE OVER MEDIA OUTLETS AND REPORTERS BY EQUENTLY THREATENG DIVIDUALS FOR REPORTG ON CRIMAL ACTIVI. INTER FREEDOM THE ERNMENT DID NOT RTRICT OR DISPT ACCS TO THE TER OR CENSOR ONLE NTENT, AND THERE WERE NO CREDIBLE REPORTS THAT THE ERNMENT MONORED PRIVATE ONLE MUNITNS WHOUT APPROPRIATE LEGAL THORY. HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, JOURNALISTS, AS WELL AS JUDG AND LAWYERS ON HIGH-PROFILE S, REPORTED SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACKS, CLUDG THE HACKG OF THEIR PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, PUBLISHG OF STOLEN OR FALSIFIED PERSONAL RMATN, PUBLISHG OF PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEILLANCE OF THEM AND FAY MEMBERS, AND ONLE FAMATN AND HATE SPEECH. DURG THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, UDEFEGUA STATED THAT ONLE TROLLS WERE THE MOST MON PERPETRATORS OF ONLE AB AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, JOURNALISTS, JUDG, AND PROSECUTORS. THE ERNMENT TOOK LTLE ACTN TO PROTECT THE VICTIMS OF ONLE ATTACKS. B. FREEDOMS OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATN THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR THE EEDOMS OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATN, AND THE ERNMENT GENERALLY RPECTED THE RIGHTS. IN 2021 A LAW WENT TO EFFECT REQUIRG BY FEBARY 2 THAT ALL NGOS AND FOUNDATNS REGISTER WH THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT’S OFFICIAL REGISTRY OF LEGAL PERSONS OR RISK DISSOLUTN. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATN SOME NGOS CLAIMED THE ERNMENT ED THE LAW TO CREATE LARGE, SUDN STS FOR NGOS, SUCH AS BY REQUTG SURPRISE DS. THE DS ULD ST NGOS THOANDS OF DOLLARS LEGAL AND ADMISTRATIVE FE. C. FREEDOM OF RELIGN SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S INTERNATNAL RELIG FREEDOM REPORT AT . D. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND THE RIGHT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY THE LAW PROVIS FOR EEDOM OF TERNAL MOVEMENT, FOREIGN TRAVEL, EMIGRATN, AND REPATRIATN. THE ERNMENT GENERALLY RPECTED THE RELATED RIGHTS. IN-UNTRY MOVEMENT: STAT OF SIEGE OR PREVENTN PLACED LIMS ON EEDOM OF MOVEMENT. THEREFORE, AT CERTA POTS FOR UP TO 30 DAYS, CIZENS THE AFFECTED AREAS DID NOT HAVE EE MOVEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, ON JUNE 8, PRINT GIAMMATTEI CLARED, AND NGRS APPROVED, A STATE OF SIEGE IXCHIGUAN Y TAJUMUL, SAN MARS, FOR 30 DAYS THAT IMPOSED A CURFEW OM 6 P.M. TO 6 A.M., LIMED LARGE GROUPS OF PERSONS OM GATHERG, AND SPEND SOME DUE PROCS RIGHTS AFFECTG POLICE TENTN AND TERROGATN OF PERSONS SPECTED OF DISTURBG THE PEACE. THIS STATE OF SIEGE WAS IMPOSED AFTER HIGHLY PUBLICIZED VLENCE BETWEEN GROUPS OF LOL HABANTS FIGHTG OVER TERRORIAL CLAIMS. THE STATE OF SIEGE WAS LIFTED AFTER 60 DAYS AND THE PRINT’S COMMISSN FOR DIALOGUE, THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS ENTERED TALKS TO END THE VLENCE. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE NFLICT HAD NOT BEEN ROLVED. E. PROTECTN OF REFUGE THE ERNMENT OPERATED WH THE OFFICE OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSNER FOR REFUGE (UNHCR) AND OTHER TERNATNAL ANIZATNS PROVIDG PROTECTN AND HUMANARIAN ASSISTANCE TO REFUGE, RETURNG REFUGE, AND ASYLUM SEEKERS, AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONS OF NCERN. ACCS TO ASYLUM: THE LAW PROVIS FOR THE GRANTG OF ASYLUM OR REFUGEE STAT, AND THE ERNMENT TABLISHED A SYSTEM FOR RECEIVG AND ADJUDITG ASYLUM CLAIMS TO GRANT REFUGEE STAT TO QUALIFYG DIVIDUALS. INTIFITN AND REFERRAL MECHANISMS FOR POTENTIAL ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE AQUATE, AND REQUIREMENTS TO TRAVEL TO GUATEMALA CY FOR PARTS OF THE PROCS NTUED TO LIM ACCS. THERE WERE GAPS AND SHORTGS THE PROCR FOR IMPLEMENTG THE LEGAL AMEWORK. ASYLUM CLAIMS ARE PROCSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE STAT DETERMATN OF THE GUATEMALAN MIGRATN INSTUTE. REMENDATNS ON REGNN ARE FORMULATED BY AN TERMISTERIAL PROCS, WHOSE PLEXY NTRIBUTED TO MAJOR LAYS ON FAL SE CISNS AND AN CREASED BACKLOG. ACCS TO BASIC SERVIC: DOCUMENTATN FOR REFUGE TO ACCS ERNMENT SERVIC, CLUDG HEALTH RE, WAS EXPENSIVE SOME S AND REMAED TIME-NSUMG TO PLETE. ACCS TO TN FOR REFUGE WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE UNTRY’S ONERO REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCS TO FORMAL TN, CLUDG DOCUMENTATN OM THE UNTRY OF ORIG. F. STAT AND TREATMENT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS THE ERNMENT DO NOT OFFICIALLY REGNIZE THE EXISTENCE OF TERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) WH S BORRS, EXCEPT FOR THOSE DISPLACED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL DISASTERS. ORGANIZATNS THAT MONOR AND SUPPORT IDPS STATED THIS LACK OF REGNN STIFLED EFFORTS TO MANAGE AND ADDRS THE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS WH THE UNTRY DISPLACED DUE TO VLENCE, AMONG OTHER FACTORS, BEE OFFICIAL STATISTICS DID NOT EXIST FOR IDPS. THE ERNMENT DITED A MORE OPEN POSTURE TO DISCSG THE ISSUE, AMED AS A MATTER OF VULNERABLE OR “AT-RISK” MUNI, BUT CRICS CLAIMED THIS FN DID NOT ADDRS THE FULL RANGE OF AND EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENT OF IDPS. WOMEN, YOUTH, AND LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS INDIGENO POPULATNS, REMAED AT HEIGHTENED RISK OF DISPLACEMENT. SECTN 3. FREEDOM TO PARTICIPATE THE POLIL PROCS THE NSTUTN PROVIS CIZENS THE ABILY TO CHOOSE THEIR ERNMENT EE AND FAIR PERDIC ELECTNS HELD BY SECRET BALLOT AND BASED ON NEARLY UNIVERSAL AND EQUAL SUFAGE FOR THOSE AGE 18 AND OLR. MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORC, POLICE, AND RCERATED DIVIDUALS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. ELECTNS AND POLIL PARTICIPATN RECENT ELECTNS: THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT AND OTHER TERNATNAL OBSERVERS FOUND SOME IRREGULARI THE ELECTORAL PROCS FOR THE LAST NATNAL ELECTNS 2019, BUT NONE WAS SIGNIFINT ENOUGH TO DISCRED THE LEGIMACY AND VALIDY OF THE ELECTNS. PRINT GIAMMATTEI AND THE ELECTED NGRSNAL PUTI TOOK OFFICE JANUARY 2020 WHOUT DISTURBANCE. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED TO VTIGATE ALLEGATNS OF ILLIC MPAIGN FANCG THE 2015 ELECTNS, CLUDG A SE AGAST SANDRA TORR AND THE NATNAL UNY OF HOPE PARTY. A SUBSTUTE JUDGE HIGH-RISK COURT A GRANTED TORR HOE ARRT DURG HER PRETRIAL TENTN; AUGT 2021 A THREE-JUDGE APPELLATE PANEL GRANTED HER PERMISSN TO PARTICIPATE POLIL ACTIVI WH HER PARTY WHILE UNR HOE ARRT. IN NOVEMBER HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE CLTTE DOMGUEZ DISMISSED THE CHARG AGAST TORR, CG SUFFICIENT EVINCE. PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN AND MEMBERS OF MORY GROUPS: NO LAWS LIM PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN OR MEMBERS OF MORY GROUPS THE POLIL PROCS, AND THEY DID, TO AN EXTENT, PARTICIPATE. TRADNAL AND CULTURAL PRACTIC, DISCRIMATN, STUTNAL BIAS, AND DIFFICULTY TRAVELG TO POLLG PLAC RAL AREAS LIMED PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN AND MEMBERS OF INDIGENO GROUPS. SECTN 4. CORPTN AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY GOVERNMENT THE LAW PROVIS CRIMAL PENALTI FOR OFFICIAL RPTN, BUT SOME OFFICIALS ENGAGED RPT PRACTIC WH IMPUNY. DPE NUMERO ALLEGATNS OF RPTN ALL BRANCH OF THE ERNMENT, FEW HIGH-LEVEL S WERE VTIGATED DURG THE YEAR, AND ANTIRPTN EFFORTS WH THE JUDICIARY STALLED. PROMENT ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS WERE ARRTED, FIRED, OR REMOVED OM SIGNIFINT S, AND RPT ACTORS THREATENED PENNT JUDG BY FILG PLATS BASED ON SPUR CHARG TO STRIP THE JUDG OF IMMUNY TO PROSECUTN. BETWEEN FEBARY AND MAY, ATTORNEY GENERAL PORRAS AND THE PUBLIC MISTRY ISSUED ARRT WARRANTS FOR AT LEAST EIGHT STG AND FORMER ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS FOR ALLEGED CRIM, CLUDG ABE OF THORY, DURG THEIR TIME AS PROSECUTORS. THE PROSECUTORS WERE HELD PROVISNAL AND PRETRIAL TENTN FOR WEEKS AND FACED MULTIPLE LAYS THEIR ARRAIGNMENT HEARGS. FOREIGN ERNMENTS AND TERNATNAL ANIZATNS NOUNCED THE ARRTS AND LLED FOR DUE PROCS AND TRANSPARENCY. SCE THE JULY 2021 FIRG OF JUAN FRANCIS SANDOVAL, THE FORMER HEAD OF THE FECI, AT LEAST 20 FECI PROSECUTORS WERE REMOVED, TRANSFERRED, OR RIGNED DUE TO FEAR OF REPRISAL. SEVERAL HAVE SCE GONE TO EXILE. THREATS AGAST PENNT JUDG WEAKENED ANTIRPTN EFFORTS. JUDG WHO PRID OVER HIGH-PROFILE CRIMAL S FACED NTUED EFFORTS TO STRIP THEM OF THEIR IMMUNY, THE LOSS OF WHICH WOULD EXPOSE THEM TO POTENTIAL PROSECUTN AND RETALIATN FOR THEIR JUDICIAL LGS. IN MARCH INTERNATNAL WOMAN OF COURAGE AWARD WNER AND FORMER HIGH-RISK COURT JUDGE ERIKA AIFAN RIGNED OM HER POST AND LEFT THE UNTRY AFTER FACG MULTIPLE THREATS TO HER IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN FILED BY RPT ACTORS. THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN AGAST CORPTN SERVED THE FUNCTN OF TRODUCG REFORMS THAT PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY, BUT LACKED THE MANDATE TO VTIGATE OR PROSECUTE RPTN S. CIVIL SOCIETY REPRENTATIV CRICIZED THE MISSN FOR A PERCEIVED LACK OF PENNCE. CORPTN: THE UN’S INTERNATNAL COMMISSN AGAST IMPUNY (CICIG) BROUGHT MANY RPTN S, BUT MANY WERE OVERTURNED DURG THE YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, CICIG HAD BLAN AIDA STALLG DAVILA REMOVED OM THE SUPREME COURT AND BROUGHT RPTN CHARG AGAST HER 2017. THE SE AGAST STALLG STEMMED OM HER ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRSURE A JUDGE TO GIVE A LENIENT SENTENCE TO HER SON, OTTO MOLA STALLG, A 2017 ILLIC ASSOCIATN SE. ON JUNE 29, STALLG WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF FLUENCE PEDDLG, AND THE FECI REFED TO APPEAL THE NOT-GUILTY VERDICT. THIS WAS ONE OF MANY EXAMPL OF FECI DIRECTOR RAFAEL CURCHICHE REFG TO APPEAL CISNS THAT URTS MA DURG THE YEAR TO OVERTURN OR DISMANTLE RPTN S ORIGALLY BROUGHT BY CICIG. ON SEPTEMBER 22, THE SUPREME COURT ANNOUNCED THAT WOULD RESTALL STALLG AS A MAGISTRATE THE SUPREME COURT AFTER THE NOT-GUILTY VERDICT. IN SOME AREAS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, IMPUNY OM RPTN WAS A SIGNIFINT PROBLEM. WH THE PNC, IMPUNY WAS EVINT THE PORT, AIRPORTS, AND BORR POTS DIVISN (DIPAFRONT), WHICH VTIGATED CRIM VOLVG NATNAL BORRS, SUCH AS DG TRAFFICKG, SMUGGLG, NTRABAND, AND EVASN OF PAYG TAX BY MOVG MONEY OUTSI THE UNTRY. THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF POLICE OFFICERS ASKG FOR BRIB TO TRANSPORT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS. ALSO, PERSISTENT ALLEGATNS OF RPTN WH THE PNC, BEGNG WH THE PNC AMY’S HIRG PROCR, OFFICER PROMOTNS, AND TRANSFERS TO FAVORABLE POSNS, AFFECTED THE CREDIBILY OF THE AMY AND THE PNC OVERALL. PNC OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY ED CHECK POTS TO ASK FOR BRIB OM CIZENS TO RELEASE THEM OM CTODY; IF THE CIZEN HAD NO SH, SOME POLICE OFFICERS TOOK THEM TO AN TOMATED TELLER MACHE TO LLECT THE BRIBE. THERE WAS IMPUNY OF HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS OM DISCIPLARY OR CRIMAL PROSECUTN. IN SEVERAL STANC, WHEN PNC OR PUBLIC MISTRY VTIGATORS OPENED A SE AGAST HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS, THE VTIGATORS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED OR TRANSFERRED. FIVE PNC AGENTS WERE VOLVED THE DG TRAFFICKG ANIZATN KNOWN AS “LOS CARDAMOMEROS” OPERATG ALTA VERAPAZ, GUATEMALA, CHIMALTENANGO, AND ESCUTLA. IN SEPTEMBER POLICE ANNOUNCED THEY DISMANTLED THE GANG WHICH THE PNC AGENTS WERE OPERATG AND ARRTED THE FIVE PNC AGENTS, ALONG WH SIX CIVILIANS, WHO ARE ALL AWAG TRIAL ON CHARG OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY AND ILLIC ASSOCIATN, AMONG OTHER CHARG. ON APRIL 27, THE CONSTUTNAL COURT REJECTED AN EFFORT TO PROSECUTE JUDGE JOSE EDUARDO COJULUN FOR HIS ALLEGED NNECTN TO A CRIMAL STCTURE A SE KNOWN AS “FENIX.” COJULUN IS ACCED OF OBSTCTN OF JTICE FOR GIVG LENIENT LGS TO THE ALLEGED LEAR OF A CRIMAL STCTURE THAT LNRED MONEY AND STOLE PUBLIC FUNDS. THE FENIX SE IMPLITED DOZENS OF PRIVATE- AND PUBLIC-SECTOR ACTORS BASED ON A 2019 VTIGATN BY CICIG. SECTN 5. GOVERNMENTAL POSTURE TOWARDS INTERNATNAL AND NONERNMENTAL INVTIGATN OF ALLEGED AB OF HUMAN RIGHTS A VARIETY OF DOMTIC AND TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS GENERALLY OPERATED WHOUT ERNMENT RTRICTN, VTIGATG AND PUBLISHG THEIR FDGS ON HUMAN RIGHTS S. MANY OF THE GROUPS, HOWEVER, WERE THE SUBJECT OF HARASSMENT AND THREATS, AND THEY FACED PRSURE AND ATTACKS OM POLIL ACTORS. RETRIBUTN AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENRS (HRDS): SEVERAL NGOS, HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS, AND TRA UNNISTS REPORTED THREATS, VLENCE, AND TIMIDATN. AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN REPORTED FOUR KILLGS OF HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS (SEE SECTN 1.A.), WHILE UDEFEGUA REPORTED 589 THREATENG MSAG AND OTHER HARASSMENT, CLUDG SOME STANC OF VLENCE AND THREATS OF VLENCE, AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS OM JANUARY TO JUNE, PARED WH 551 ATTACKS THE SAME PERD 2021. MORE THAN HALF THE ATTACKS THEY REPORTED WERE AGAST PROSECUTORS AND FENSE LAWYERS. NGOS ASSERTED THE ERNMENT DID LTLE TO VTIGATE THE REPORTS OR PREVENT FURTHER CINTS. ON FEBARY 14, POLICE ARRTED DAVID MAXENA ON CHARG OF MAKG THREATS OF VLENCE AND ILLEGALLY OCCUPYG LAND. MAXENA WAS A MAYAN POQOMCHI MUNY ANIZER AND LEAR THE VERAPAZ UNN OF PEASANT ORGANIZATNS (UVOC). HE LED PROTTS ON THE DISPLACEMENT OF INDIGENO PEOPL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE SANTA TERA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT TUCU, ALTA VERAPAZ. ACRDG TO AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, THE SE AGAST MAXENA HAD IRREGULARI SUCH AS A LONG PRETRIAL TENTN PERD (SEVEN MONTHS AS OF SEPTEMBER), A LACK OF IAL NOTIFITN OF THE CHARG BROUGHT AGAST HIM, AND HIS TRANSFER TO AREAS OF PRISON THAT WERE NOT ED FOR PRETRIAL PRISONERS. AFTER MAXENA SPENT SEVEN MONTHS PRETRIAL TENTN, A JUDGE ACQUTED MAXENA OF ALL CHARG OCTOBER. NGOS REPORTED THE ERNMENT, POLIL GROUPS, AND PRIVATE ENTI ED THREATS OF LEGAL ACTN AS A FORM OF TIMIDATN. ACRDG TO UDEFEGUA, OM JANUARY TO JUNE THERE WERE AT LEAST 70 NEW JUDICIAL S FILED AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, PARED WH 26 FOR THE SAME PERD 2021. MEMBERS OF THE FOUNDATN AGAST TERRORISM (FCT), AN NGO KNOWN TO TARGET ANTIRPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, FILED BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMAL PLATS AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS AND NGOS THAT SOUGHT TO CREATE ERNMENT ACUNTABILY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AB DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ RECEIVED AN CREASG NUMBER OF THREATS FOLLOWG HIS ASSIGNMENT TO THE LANDMARK TERNAL ARMED NFLICT-ERA HUMAN RIGHTS ABE SE KNOWN AS DIAR MILAR, WHICH LED HIM TO LEAVE THE UNTRY ON NOVEMBER 4 AND RIGN OM THE URT. THE SE IMPLITED FORMER ARY MEMBERS S OF FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND TORTURE DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT (SEE SECTN 1.B.). THE ALLEGED ATTACKS ON GALVEZ CREASED AFTER THE ARRT OF TORIB ACEVEDO RAMIREZ, A FORMER ARY MEMBER, FOR RAMIREZ’S ALLEGED PARTICIPATN THE CRIM. THE FCT SUBMTED LEGAL PLATS AGAST GALVEZ AND ATTACKED GALVEZ ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE SUPREME COURT VTIGATED ONE PLAT FILED BY THE FCT MAY, TAKG UP THE PLAT AGAST GALVEZ ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER WAS FILED, AND THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAS DITED S TENTN TO SEEK GALVEZ’S EXTRADN OM EXILE (SEE SECTN 1.E.). ACRDG TO HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS, THE PLAT ULD POTENTIALLY STRIP GALVEZ OF IMMUNY AND RAIL THE DIAR MILAR SE. GOVERNMENT HUMAN RIGHTS BODI: THE PDH MONORS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SET FORTH THE NSTUTN AND REPORTS TO NGRS. NGOS GENERALLY NSIRED THE PDH TO BE AN EFFECTIVE STUTN UNR DIRECTOR JORDAN RODAS, ALTHOUGH WH LIMATNS RAL AREAS. ON AUGT 20, A NEW DIRECTOR, JOSE ALEJANDRO CORDOVA HERRERA, TOOK OFFICE. THE CONGRSNAL COMMTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS DRAFTS AND PROVIS GUIDANCE ON LEGISLATN REGARDG HUMAN RIGHTS. THE LAW REQUIR THAT ALL POLIL PARTI REPRENTED NGRS HAVE A REPRENTATIVE ON THE MTEE. SOME NGOS DID NOT NSIR THE MTEE TO BE AN EFFECTIVE FOM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTN AND PROTECTN. THE SECRETARIAT AGAST SEXUAL VLENCE, EXPLOATN, AND TRAFFICKG PERSONS IS A ERNMENT BODY UNR THE THORY OF THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRINT. THE SECRETARIAT MONORS AND RMS VULNERABLE POPULATNS AND ERNMENT ENTI ON SEXUAL VLENCE, EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN, AND TRAFFICKG PERSONS. THE SECRETARIAT REPORTED NGRS WHHELD SOME OF S FUNDS BY EXERCISG LE-EM APPROVAL FOR ALL S PROJECTS. IN 2020 PRINT GIAMMATTEI ANNOUNCED THE CREATN OF THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS TO REPLACE AND UNIFY THREE STUTNS: THE PRINT’S COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS, THE SECRETARIAT FOR PEACE, AND THE SECRETARIAT OF AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS. THE NEW MISSN’S MANDATE WAS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY, REPRENT THE UNTRY TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS FOMS, ENACT TERNATNAL REMENDATNS ON HUMAN RIGHTS, AND OVERSEE THE CHIXOY REPARATNS, AMONG OTHER RPONSIBILI. CIVIL SOCIETY EXPRSED NCERN THAT DISSOLVG THE THREE ORIGAL STUTNS WOULD LEAD TO A LACK OF MECHANISMS FOR ENACTG THE REMENDATNS OF TERNATNAL FOMS AND FOR PROTECTG HUMAN RIGHTS. THE NATNAL REPARATNS PROGRAM DID NOT IMPLEMENT FULL REPARATN TO VICTIMS OF THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT DUE TO REGULATORY FICIENCI THAT STOPPED S OPERATNS AND THAT HAD NOT BEEN ROLVED SCE 2020. THE PROGRAM HAD MANY REQUTS FOR REPARATNS S ARCHIV BUT HAD PAID ONLY HALF OF THEM. OTHER TYP OF REPARATNS ENVISNED THE PROGRAM’S CHARTER, SUCH AS CHANG TO THE NATNAL TN CURRICULUM AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR AFFECTED MUNI, WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED MOST S. THE ERNMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT TABLISHED THE NTUED EXISTENCE OF THE NATNAL REPARATNS PROGRAM WAS SCHLED TO EXPIRE 2023. SECTN 6. DISCRIMATN AND SOCIETAL AB WOMEN RAPE AND DOMTIC VLENCE: THE LAW CRIMALIZ RAPE OF MEN OR WOMEN, CLUDG SPOAL RAPE, AND SETS PENALTI BETWEEN FIVE AND 50 YEARS PRISON. THE LAW TABLISH PENALTI FOR FEMICI AT 25 TO 50 YEARS PRISON WHOUT THE POSSIBILY OF RCG THE SENTENCE; HOWEVER, FEMICI REMAED A SIGNIFINT PROBLEM. POLICE HAD MIMAL TRAG AND PACY TO VTIGATE SEXUAL CRIM OR ASSIST SURVIVORS OF SUCH CRIM, AND THE ERNMENT DID NOT ENFORCE THE LAW EFFECTIVELY. RAPE, OTHER SEXUAL OFFENS, AND GENR-BASED VLENCE REMAED WISPREAD AND SER PROBLEMS. THE ERNMENT TOOK STEPS TO BAT FEMICI AND GENR-BASED VLENCE. THE JUDICIARY OPERATED A 24-HOUR URT GUATEMALA CY TO OFFER SERVIC RELATED TO GENR-BASED VLENCE CLUDG SEXUAL ASSLT, EXPLOATN, AND TRAFFICKG OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE JUDICIARY OPERATED SPECIALIZED URTS FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE THROUGHOUT THE UNTRY, BUT NOT EVERY PARTMENT. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MATAED A 24-HOUR VICTIM SERVICE CENTER TO PROVI MEDIL, PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND LEGAL SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS, CLUDG ISSUG RTRAG ORRS FOR THEIR IMMEDIATE PROTECTN. THE MISTRY ALSO MATAED A NATNAL ALERT SYSTEM FOR FDG DISAPPEARED WOMEN. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MATAED A PUBLIC WEBSE TLED “THE WOMEN’S OBSERVATORY,” WH STATISTICS REGARDG CRIM AGAST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. ACRDG TO THAT WEBSE, 31 PERCENT OF CRIMAL PLATS AS OF OCTOBER WERE FILED FOR CRIM AGAST WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND 44 PERCENT OF THOSE PLATS RULTED VTIGATN AND SUCCSFUL ROLUTN OF THE PLAT. GENR-BASED VLENCE, CLUDG SEXUAL AND DOMTIC VLENCE, REMAED WISPREAD AND SER. THE LAW TABLISH PENALTI OF FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS PRISON FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE, CLUDG PHYSIL, ENOMIC, AND PSYCHOLOGIL VLENCE. ON JANUARY 24, A HIGH-RISK COURT TRIBUNAL OF THREE JUDG SENTENCED FIVE FORMER IA MEMBERS TO 30 YEARS PRISON EACH FOR CRIM AGAST HUMANY FOR VOLVEMENT THE SEXUAL ASSLTS OF 36 INDIGENO ACHI WOMEN 1981-85 DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. THE URT ALSO MANDATED THAT THE ERNMENT PROVI MOARY REPARATNS AND OTHER NCILIATORY MEASUR. THE NATNAL PROSECUTOR GENERAL, THE BET-LEVEL FERAL ERNMENT OFFICE THAT ACTED AS THE LEGAL REPRENTATIVE OF THE ERNMENT, FILED AN APPEAL TO PREVENT THE PAYOUT OF THE REPARATNS, AND AS OF YEAR’S END, THE APPEAL WAS NOT ROLVED. WOMEN WH DISABILI AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQI+ MUNY WH DISABILI REMAED AT GREATER RISK OF BEG VICTIMS OF NTUED SEXUAL VLENCE. MOST PERSONS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY WOMEN, DID NOT REPORT SUATNS OF VLENCE AND ABE BEE THE REPORTG PROCS WERE PLEX AND DISCRIMATED AGAST THEM. SEXUAL HARASSMENT: ALTHOUGH SEVERAL LAWS REFER TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT, NO SGLE LAW, CLUDG LAWS AGAST SEXUAL VLENCE, ADDRS SEXUAL HARASSMENT DIRECTLY. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB SEXUAL HARASSMENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKPLACE. HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT WAS WISPREAD. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: FORCED STERILIZATN WAS PURPORTEDLY MON FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI BUT REPORTG ON THE AB WAS RARE, ACRDG TO AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN THAT TRACKS DISABILY RIGHTS. THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL REPORTS DURG THE YEAR OF ERCED ABORTN OR VOLUNTARY STERILIZATN ON THE PART OF ERNMENT THORI. CULTURAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND LGUISTIC BARRIERS HAMPERED ACCS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RE, CLUDG NTRACEPTIV, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIGENO WOMEN RAL AREAS, WHERE NTRACEPTIV WERE ALSO LEAST LIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE LOLLY. THE PREVALENCE OF MORN NTRACEPTIVE E REMAED LOW AMONG INDIGENO WOMEN PARED WH ALL OTHER WOMEN, AND A LACK OF CULTURALLY SENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE AND MATERNAL HEALTH-RE SERVICE PROVIRS TERRED SOME INDIGENO WOMEN OM ACCSG REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-RE SERVIC. THE ERNMENT PROVID MEDIL SERVIC THROUGH THE MISTRY OF HEALTH FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VLENCE. THE SERVIC PROVID VICTIMS WH ACCS TO EMERGENCY NTRACEPTIV AND ANTIVIRAL MEDIC TO PREVENT SEXUALLY TRANSMTED DISEAS AND UNWANTED PREGNANCY RULTG OM RAPE. THE MISTRY ALSO PROVID SOME JTICE SERVIC. MANY SURVIVORS DID NOT SEEK MEDIL RE DUE TO CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS. AUTHORI WH THE JTICE SYSTEM MENTED THAT ON OCSN SOME HOSPAL CLICS DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED MEDITN STOCK TO PROTECT RAPE VICTIMS AGAST SEXUALLY TRANSMTED DISEAS OR PREGNANCY. ACRDG TO A 2020 REPORT BY THE MISTRY OF HEALTH, THE MATERNAL MORTALY RATE AMONG INDIGENO MUNI WAS 156 PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS, PARED WH THE NATNAL AVERAGE OF 108 PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS. ONE-HALF OF ALL THE MATERNAL ATHS OCCURRED FOUR PARTMENTS THE NORTHWT OF THE UNTRY (HUEHUETENANGO, SAN MARS, QUICHE, AND ALTA VERAPAZ), MOST OF THEM RAL AND DISPERSED AREAS WH HIGH RAT OF MALNUTRN, POVERTY, AND NCENTRATED POPULATNS OF INDIGENO PERSONS. FROM JANUARY TO MAY, THE MISTRY OF HEALTH REPORTED THAT AREAS WH HIGH NCENTRATNS OF INDIGENO PEOPL HAD THE HIGHT PROPORTN, NEARLY HALF, OF MATERNAL ATHS NATNWI. FACTORS SUCH AS THE LACK OF MEDIL SERVIC AVAILABLE THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE FOR SPEAKERS OF INDIGENO LANGUAG AND THE LACK OF PROVIRS AND EQUIPMENT REMOTE AREAS PLAYED A ROLE THE ATHS. ACRDG TO WORLD BANK DATA 2020, THE FERTILY RATE FOR ADOLCENTS AG 15 TO 19 WAS 64 BIRTHS PER 1,000 WOMEN. A LACK OF ACCS TO MENSTAL PRODUCTS AND THE LACK OF SEPARATE BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ BATHROOMS SOME RAL SCHOOLS NTUED TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT ADOLCENT GIRLS’ ACCS TO TN RAL AREAS OF THE UNTRY. IN MARCH THE NGRS APPROVED DECREE 22-2022, A LAW THAT CLAR MAY 19 AS THE NATNAL DAY OF THE GUATEMALAN MIDWIFE IYOM AND RATI’T AK’AL CELEBRATN OF A PROMENT INDIGENO MIDWIFE. THE CREE ALSO TABLISH AN ANNUAL CENTIVE (NOT A SALARY) FOR INDIGENO MIDWIV REGISTERED WH THE MISTRY OF HEALTH. THIS CENTIVE AIMS AT ACKNOWLEDGG THE WORK OF INDIGENO MIDWIV AND DIGNIFYG THEIR WORK TO ENSURE ACCS TO HEALTH RE FOR INDIGENO WOMEN. DISCRIMATN: THE NSTUTN TABLISH THE PRCIPLE OF GENR EQUALY, STATG THAT ALL DIVIDUALS ARE EQUAL AND HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS, AND THAT MEN AND WOMEN ENJOY THE SAME OPPORTUNI AND RPONSIBILI. DPE THIS, WOMEN, AND PARTICULARLY INDIGENO WOMEN RAL AREAS, FACED DISCRIMATN AND WERE LS LIKELY TO HOLD MANAGEMENT POSNS. THE LAW TABLISH EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN AND MEN ERNMENT OFFIC BY PROHIBG DIFFERENC PAY BASED ON “PERSONAL INTY,” BUT THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB DISCRIMATN BASED ON GENR THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THERE ARE LAWS THAT RTRICT WOMEN OM WORKG CERTA SECTORS, CLUDG JOBS EMED MORALLY APPROPRIATE. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB GENR DISCRIMATN ACCS TO CRED. THE ERNMENT DID LTLE TO ENFORCE GENR EQUALY LAWS EFFECTIVELY. THE LAW PROVIS FOR EQUALY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN DURG AND AFTER DIVORCE WH RPECT TO CHILDRE AND FANCIAL AND HOG ASSISTANCE TO THE CHILDREN’S RETAKERS, WHO ARE OFTEN WOMEN. THE PDH REPORTED THAT FAIRNS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN DIVORCE PROCEEDGS HAD IMPROVED THE LAST 20 YEARS. SYSTEMIC RACIAL OR ETHNIC VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN THERE ARE NO LAWS, POLICI, OR STATE PROGRAMS THAT SPECIFILLY NTRIBUTE TO THE RCTN OF RACISM, ACRDG TO TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS. THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR PROTECTNS AGAST DISCRIMATN BASED ON RACE OR ETHNIC GROUP, AND THE LAW PROVIS FOR A PENALTY OF ONE TO THREE YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT AND A FE FOR ACTS OF DISCRIMATN. OTHER EFFORTS TO BAT DISCRIMATN CLUD LIGATN STCTNS OM THE PUBLIC MISTRY FOR DISCRIMATN CRIM. THE ERNMENT GENERALLY DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE LAWS AGAST DISCRIMATN. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH LACKED A ORDATED APPROACH TO ADDRS POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT NCENTRATED MALY INDIGENO AND AO-SCENDANT MUNI, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME ERNMENT PROGRAMS DIRECTED AT THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATNS. INDIGENO PEOPL THE ERNMENT’S NATNAL INSTUTE OF STATISTICS TIMATED INDIGENO PERSONS OM 24 ETHNIC GROUPS MA UP 44 PERCENT OF THE POPULATN. THE LAW PROVIS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR INDIGENO PERSONS AND OBLIG THE ERNMENT TO REGNIZE, RPECT, AND PROMOTE THE LIFTYL, CTOMS, TRADNS, SOCIAL ANIZATNS, AND MANNER OF DRS OF INDIGENO PERSONS. THE ERNMENT DO NOT, HOWEVER, REGNIZE PARTICULAR INDIGENO GROUPS AS HAVG A SPECIAL LEGAL STAT PROVID BY NATNAL LAW. THE LAW STIPULAT THAT THE ERNMENT MT NSULT WH INDIGENO GROUPS PRR TO IMPLEMENTG LARGE ASTCTURE PROJECTS INDIGENO TERRORI. OBSERVERS DITED THE ERNMENT DID NOT ALWAYS NSULT WH ALL AFFECTED PARTI AND INDIGENO LEARS, AND ACTIVISTS REGULARLY REPORTED BEG HARASSED AND THREATENED FOR THEIR WORK. INDIGENO LANDS WERE NOT EFFECTIVELY MARTED, MAKG THE LEGAL REGNN OF TL TO THE LAND PROBLEMATIC. INDIGENO REPRENTATIV CLAIMED BS AND OTHER ACTORS SEVERAL REGNAL VELOPMENT PROJECTS FAILED TO NSULT MEANGFULLY WH LOL MUNI. IN SOME S, INDIGENO MUNI WERE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE CISNS AFFECTG THE EXPLOATN OF ROURC THEIR MUNI, CLUDG ENERGY, MERALS, TIMBER, RIVERS, OR OTHER NATURAL ROURC. THEY ALSO LACKED EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS FOR DIALOGUE WH THE STATE TO ROLVE NFLICTS. ACRDG TO THE OHCHR, THERE WAS A SIGNIFINT CREASE ATTACKS AND CINTS OF FAMATN AND TIMIDATN AGAST INDIGENO FENRS OF INDIGENO LAND, TERRORY RIGHTS, AND NATURAL ROURC. ONE INDIGENO MUNY NSULTATN PROCS OVER THE OPERATN OF A SILVER ME SAN RAFAEL, SANTA ROSA, BETWEEN THE MISTRY OF ENERGY AND M AND THE XKA MUNY NTUED, WH THE XKA PARLIAMENT REPRENTG THEIR MUNY. ON JULY 20, REPRENTATIV OF THE XKA MUNY, THE XKA PARLIAMENT, AND THE MISTRY OF ENERGY AND M PLETED THE PRENSULTATN PHASE OF URT-ORRED NSULTATNS SAN RAFAEL, SANTA ROSA, WH A PLANNED END DATE OF FEBARY 2023. THE XKA PARLIAMENT IALLY CHARACTERIZED THE PROCS AS “WORKABLE” BUT REPORTED DECEMBER THAT THE PROCS WAS STALLED DUE TO AN IMPASSE OVER ERNMENT FUNDG OF TERNATNAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDI EXPERTS. DISCRIMATN AGAST INDIGENO CULTUR AND CTOMS EXISTED THE HEALTH-RE SYSTEM. CIVIL SOCIETY ANIZATNS OF INDIGENO MIDWIV RAL AREAS REPORTED THAT THEIR SERVIC WERE NOT REGNIZED BY ERNMENT HEALTH-RE STUTNS UNR THE MISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH. IN DECEMBER 2021 THE INTER-AMERIN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS LED THAT THE ERNMENT VLATED S MMENTS ON INDIGENO PEOPL’ RIGHTS BY SHUTTG DOWN FOUR INDIGENO MUNY RAD STATNS. THE URT LED THAT THE ERNMENT SHOULD PROVI SEVERAL REPARATN MEASUR. THE URT LED THAT THE ERNMENT HAD SIX MONTHS TO PUBLISH THE CISN S OFFICIAL ERNMENT REGISTRY, GIVG LEGAL EFFECT; HOWEVER, AS OF SEPTEMBER THE ERNMENT HAD NOT DONE THIS. INDIGENO MUNI WERE UNRREPRENTED NATNAL POLICS AND REMAED LARGELY OUTSI THE POLIL, ENOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL MASTREAM. THIS WAS MALY DUE TO LIMED TNAL OPPORTUNI (NTRARY TO LAW), LIMED MUNITN REGARDG INDIGENO RIGHTS, AND PERVASIVE DISCRIMATN. GOVERNMENT AGENCI DITED TO SUPPORTG INDIGENO RIGHTS LACKED POLIL SUPPORT. THE FACTORS NTRIBUTED TO DISPROPORTNATE POVERTY AND MALNUTRN AMONG MOST INDIGENO POPULATNS. CHILDREN BIRTH REGISTRATN: CHILDREN RIVE CIZENSHIP BY BIRTH WH THE UNTRY OR OM THEIR PARENTS. BIRTH REGISTRATNS WERE LOW AND DISCRIMATED AGAST RAL POPULATNS WHERE THERE WERE FEW ERNMENT REGISTRY OFFIC OR MORN HEALTH-RE FACILI. UNICEF SCRIBED LOW BIRTH REGISTRATN AS A “SER PROBLEM,” AND UNHCR REPORTED PROBLEMS REGISTERG BIRTHS WERE PECIALLY ACUTE INDIGENO MUNI DUE TO AQUATE ERNMENT REGISTRATN AND DOCUMENTATN SYSTEMS. LACK OF REGISTRATN RTRICTED CHILDREN’S ACCS TO SOME PUBLIC SERVIC AND CREATED NDNS THAT ULD LEAD TO STATELSNS. EDUTN: WHILE PRIMARY TN IS EE AND PULSORY THROUGH AGE 15, ACCS WAS LIMED MANY RAL AREAS. EDUTN THROUGH THE SENDARY LEVEL IS NOT OBLIGATORY. INTERNATNAL OBSERVERS NOTED THAT RAL MUNI, BOYS WERE PRRIZED FOR HIGH SCHOOL TN DUE TO THE PROBLEMS OF TRAVELG LONG DISTANC TO SCHOOL AND THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF GIRLS THE HOME. CHILD ABE: CHILD ABE REMAED A SER PROBLEM. A UN UNR THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR CRIM AGAST CHILDREN AND ADOLCENTS HANDLED CHILD ABE S. THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAS AN TEGRATED 24-HOUR RE MOL PROVIDG MEDIL, PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND LEGAL SUPPORT TO CHILDREN AND ADOLCENT VICTIMS OF VLENCE. CHILD, EARLY, AND FORCED MARRIAGE: THE LEGAL AGE FOR MARRIAGE IS 18. SEXUAL EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN: THE LAW PROVIS SENTENC RANGG OM 13 TO 24 YEARS PRISON, PENDG ON THE VICTIM’S AGE, FOR ENGAGG SEX WH A MOR. THE MIMUM AGE OF NSENSUAL SEX IS 18. THE LAW F SEXUAL RELATNS WH A MOR UNR AGE 14 AS RAPE. THE LAW PROHIBS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND TABLISH PENALTI OF SIX TO 10 YEARS PRISON FOR PRODUCG, PROMOTG, AND SELLG CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, AND TWO TO FOUR YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT FOR POSSSG . THE MERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN, CLUDG CHILD SEX TOURISM, REMAED A PROBLEM, CLUDG PRIVATELY N ORPHANAG. DISPLACED CHILDREN: THERE WERE NUMERO CHILDREN LIVG ON THE STREET OR SLUMS. CRIMALS AND GANGS OFTEN RECED STREET CHILDREN, MANY OF THEM VICTIMS OF DOMTIC ABE, FOR PURPOS OF THEFT, EXTORTN, MERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOATN, TRANSPORTG NTRABAND, AND NDUCTG ILLEGAL DG ACTIVI. INSTUTNALIZED CHILDREN: MORE THAN 800 CHILDREN AND ADOLCENTS LIVED SHELTERS OPERATED BY THE SECRETARIAT FOR SOCIAL WELFARE. THE ERNMENT LACKED CLEAR POLICI FOR CHILDREN WH DISABILI RINTIAL STUTNS, LEAVG ACMODATNS THE S UP TO THE DIVIDUAL STUTNS. FORMER SECRETARIAT SECRETARY CARLOS RODAS AND FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR PROTECTN AND SHELTER SERVIC ANAHI KELLER FACED CRIMAL CHARG FOR MURR, ABE OF THORY, BREACH OF DUTY, AND ABE AGAST MORS FOLLOWG THE ATHS OF 41 GIRLS THE 2017 FIRE AT THE HOGAR SEGURO ORPHANAGE, WHICH WAS UNR THE THORY OF THE SECRETARIAT. BOTH WERE ALLOWED TO AWA THEIR TRIAL UNR HOE ARRT. PUBLIC ARGUMENTS THE SE WERE SPEND FOR THE SIXTH TIME; AS OF SEPTEMBER 23, THE NEW DATE FOR PUBLIC ARGUMENTS HAD NOT BEEN SCHLED. ANTISEMISM THE JEWISH POPULATN WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500 PERSONS. JEWISH MUNY REPRENTATIV REPORTED NO ANTISEMIC CINTS AS OF NOVEMBER. TRAFFICKG PERSONS SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S TRAFFICKG PERSONS REPORT AT ACTS OF VLENCE, CRIMALIZATN, AND OTHER AB BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN, GENR INTY OR EXPRSN, OR SEX CHARACTERISTICS CRIMALIZATN: THERE ARE NO LAWS OR FACTO DISCRIMATN AGAST NSENSUAL SAME-SEX SEXUAL NDUCT BETWEEN ADULTS. VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS: VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS REMAED A PERSISTENT ISSUE. ACRDG TO AN ANNUAL REPORT OM THE LAMBDA ASSOCIATN, THERE WERE 21 KILLGS OF LGBTQI+ PERSONS OM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER WHICH THE VLENCE ULD PLSIBLY BE LKED TO THE VICTIMS’ SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY. THE LAMBDA ASSOCIATN ALSO REPORTED THAT MOST HOMICIS AND GENERAL CRIM OF PREJUDICE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS OCCURRED EHER THE PAL, GUATEMALA CY, OR IZABAL. ACRDG TO LGBTQI+ ACTIVISTS, GAY AND TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS OFTEN EXPERIENCED POLICE ABE. LGBTQI+ HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS STATED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT POLICE REGULARLY ENGAGED EXTORTN AND HARASSED MALE AND TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS WHOM THEY ALLEGED TO BE SEX WORKERS. LAMBDA AND OTHER LGBTQI+ ANIZATNS REPORTED A LACK OF WILL ON THE PART OF POLICE TO FULLY VTIGATE HATE CRIM AND VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS. ON JULY 2, AN ASSAILANT SHOT AND KILLED NANCY SUC, AN INDIGENO TRANSGENR WOMAN WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE TRANSGENR WOMEN SEXUAL WORKERS COLLECTIVE OF TREBOL. THE ASSAILANT WAS TRYG TO EXTORT SUC, ACRDG TO PRS REPORTS AND A CRIMAL PLAT THAT SUC FILED DAYS BEFORE THE ATTACK. SUC’S ALLEGED KILLER WAS ARRTED AND WAS AWAG TRIAL, BUT FELLOW SEX WORKERS NTUED TO BE THREATENED AND EXTORTED AND CLAIMED SUC’S CRIMAL PLAT TO THE PUBLIC MISTRY REPORTG THE ATH THREATS AGAST HER WAS NOT TAKEN SERLY. OPENLY GAY AND HIV-POSIVE NGRSMAN ALDO DAVILA REPORTED THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF NGRS YELLED HOMOPHOBIC MENTS AT HIM WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK DURG SSNS OF NGRS AND DIRECTED HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AT HIM THE HALLS OF NGRS. DISCRIMATN: THE NSTUTN CLAR ALL PERSONS EQUAL UNR THE LAW AND PROHIBS DISCRIMATN BY STATE AND NONSTATE ACTORS BASED ON GENR, MARAL STAT, OR POLIL OPN. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN, GENR EXPRSN, OR SEX CHARACTERISTICS AND DO NOT REGNIZE LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, UPL, OR THEIR FAI. THE ERNMENT DO NOT PROVI OR MEASURE SEXUAL DIVERSY OR GENR INTY STATISTICS S CENS AND DO NOT BREAK DOWN HEALTH, TN, AND OTHER STATISTICS BY SEXUAL DIVERSY OR GENR INTY. LOL EXPERTS WHO WORKED ON SEXUAL DIVERSY ISSU STATED THE LACK OF MOGRAPHIC DATA HAMPERED NGO EFFORTS TO ANALYZE AND PROVI EFFECTIVE SOLUTNS TO PROBLEMS THE LGBTQI+ MUNY, SUCH AS POVERTY STEMMG OM LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNI. THOSE SAME EXPERTS NOTED POSIVELY THAT 2021 THE PUBLIC MISTRY STARTED LLECTG DATA ON THE SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY OF VICTIMS OF CRIME WHO FILED POLICE REPORTS. LGBTQI+ ADVOT POTED TO STCTURAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS GENR INTY DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS AND GENERAL SOCIETAL DISCRIMATN, THAT CREATED TERNAL DISPLACEMENT, DISCRIMATN, SEXUAL EXPLOATN, AND CHILD ABE AMONG MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQI+ MUNY. THERE WAS GENERAL SOCIETAL DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS ACCS TO TN, HEALTH RE, EMPLOYMENT, AND HOG. THE ERNMENT MA MIMAL EFFORTS TO ADDRS THIS DISCRIMATN. LOL EXPERTS ON SEXUAL DIVERSY ISSU SAID THE ERNMENT DID NOT PUBLISH OFFICIAL MEDIL GUIDANCE OR STANDARDS ON HORMONE THERAPY FOR GENR TRANSN THERAPI. HENCE, THE THERAPI WERE UNREGULATED THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND POSED RISKS FOR TRANSGENR PERSONS NSIRG PHYSLOGIL TRANSN THERAPI. THERE WERE ALSO NO PUBLICLY PROVID GENR TRANSN THERAPI ERNMENT MEDIL FACILI, SO DIVIDUALS HAD TO PAY PERSONALLY FOR ANY OF THE THERAPI. AVAILABILY OF LEGAL GENR REGNN: INDIVIDUALS NNOT SELF-INTIFY GENR FOR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THEIR GENR ASSIGNED AT BIRTH AND SHOWG ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFITE IS THEIR GENR ON THEIR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. GOVERNMENT-ISSUED NATNAL INTIFITN RDS THAT ARE ED TO ACCS BASIC SERVIC AND TN ROURC DO NOT ALLOW TRANSGENR PERSONS TO RECEIVE INTIFITN RDS WH THEIR CHOSEN NAM OR GENR INTIFITN. WHOUT INTIFITN THAT REFLECTED THE NAME AND GENR UNR WHICH THEY LIVED, TRANSGENR PERSONS WERE NIED MANY ERNMENT SERVIC. INVOLUNTARY OR COERCIVE MEDIL OR PSYCHOLOGIL PRACTIC SPECIFILLY TARGETG LGBTQI+ INDIVIDUALS: LGBTQI+ ACTIVISTS AND VTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS REPORTED THERE WAS AN ACTIVE WORK OF “NVERSN THERAPY” CENTERS, MOSTLY LOTED THE TERR OF THE UNTRY RAL AREAS BUT ANIZED AND FUND NJUNCTN WH EVANGELIL CHURCH THE PAL. REPORTS MENTNED ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY FOR GAY MEN, “RRECTIVE” RAPE FOR LBIAN WOMEN, AND ERCED SEX ACTS FOR TRANSGENR WOMEN. LGBTQI+ GROUPS ALSO CLAIMED LBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND QUEER WOMEN EXPERIENCED FORCED MARRIAG AND “RRECTIVE” RAPE TEND TO E PREGNANCY, ALTHOUGH THE CINTS WERE RARELY, IF EVER, REPORTED TO THORI. GENTE POSIVA, A HIV-POSIVE ADVOCY AND AWARENS GROUP, REPORTED THAT WHEN LBIAN WOMEN WHO WERE VICTIMS OF “RRECTIVE” RAPE TRIED TO FILE A LEGAL PLAT, THE PUBLIC MISTRY OFFICIALS RECEIVG THE PLAT OFTEN REFED TO RERD THE CINT IF THE WOMAN REPORTG THE RAPE KNEW THE ATTACKERS OR HAD DNK ALHOL THE SAME DAY AS THE RAPE. GENTE POSIVA ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ERNMENT DID NOT REGNIZE “RRECTIVE” RAPE OF LBIAN WOMEN AS AN AGGRAVATED VERSN OF SEXUAL ASSLT OR A HATE CRIME; THE ERNMENT NSIRS THE SAME AS RAPE. RTRICTNS OF FREEDOM OF EXPRSN, ASSOCIATN, OR PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY: THERE WERE NO NFIRMED OR REPORTED RTRICTNS ON THOSE SPEAKG OUT ON LGBTQI+ ISSU. PERSONS WH DISABILI PERSONS WH DISABILI WERE UNABLE TO ACCS TN, HEALTH SERVIC, PUBLIC BUILDGS, AND TRANSPORTATN ON AN EQUAL BASIS WH OTHERS. NO LAW REQUIR SUCH ACCS, NOR DO THE LAW MANDATE THAT PERSONS WH DISABILI HAVE ACCS TO RMATN OR MUNITNS. DISCRIMATN AGAST PERSONS WH DISABILI NTUED TO BE A PROBLEM, WH SUCH PERSONS EXPERIENCG DISCRIMATN BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC DISABILY, GENR, AGE, PLACE OF RINCY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN, AMONG OTHER FACTORS. PERSONS WH DISABILI EXPERIENCED VLENCE, HARASSMENT, TIMIDATN, AND ABE, CLUDG CINTS CED, PERPETRATED, OR NDONED BY ATTENDANTS AND STAFF AT STUTNS. PERSONS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY WOMEN AND UNRREPRENTED GROUPS, EXPERIENCED HIGH LEVELS OF VLENCE AND ABE, CLUDG SEXUAL ASSLT. INTERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS POTED TO THE STUTNALIZATN OF PERSONS WH DISABILI AS A SOURCE OF HARASSMENT AND ABE. THEY STATED THAT BEE THERE IS NO NATNAL STRATEGY FOR STUTNALIZG CHILDREN WH DISABILI OM PUBLICLY SUPPORTED RINC AND FACILI, THE CHILDREN WOULD MOST LIKELY REMA STUTNALIZED. CHILDREN WH DISABILI WH HIGH SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS WERE SENTIALLY FORCED TO LIVE STUTNS DUE TO THE LACK OF POLICI OR FUNDG THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO LIVE A FAY HOEHOLD. CHILDREN WH DISABILI ATTEND SCHOOL AT ALL LEVELS AT A SIGNIFINTLY LOWER RATE THAN OTHER CHILDREN; MOST DID NOT ATTEND SCHOOL AT ALL. NONERNMENTAL ANIZATNS THAT ADVOTED FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI REPORTED THE ERNMENT VLATED THE RIGHT TO TN FOR STUNTS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY THOSE WH TELLECTUAL DISABILI. REPORTS DITED THAT ONLE LEARNG ROURC MA AVAILABLE TO STUNTS WH DISABILI WERE FOCED ON VISUALLY AND DORILY IMPAIRED STUNTS AND THAT FEW SOLUTNS WERE PROVID FOR STUNTS WH OTHER DISABILI. A REPORT BY THE NGO WOMEN ENABLED INTERNATNAL SCRIBED MULTIPLE DISCRIMATNS FACED BY INDIGENO PERSONS WH DISABILI. DISCRIMATORY CULTURAL NORMS AGAST PERSONS WH DISABILI, WERE TENSIFIED AGAST INDIGENO WOMEN WH DISABILI, CREASG THE POSSIBILY THAT THEY WOULD BE SEPARATED OM THEIR CHILDREN OR BE FORCIBLY STERILIZED. OBSERVERS NOTED LTLE PROGRS WAS MA ACCS TO VOTG FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI. VOTG MECHANISMS FOR PERSONS WH TELLECTUAL DISABILI DID NOT EXIST. VOTG BRAILLE EXISTED, BUT DID NOT GUARANTEE SECRET VOTG. OTHER SOCIETAL VLENCE OR DISCRIMATN ON SEVERAL OCSNS, VIGILANTE MOBS ATTACKED AND KILLED PERSONS SPECTED OF CRIM SUCH AS RAPE, KIDNAPPG, THEFT, OR EXTORTN. THE NGO MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUP REPORTED FIVE PERSONS WERE KILLED AND 62 JURED BY VIGILANTE GROUPS OM JANUARY THROUGH AUGT. THE NGO STATED THE ATTACKS TOOK PLACE MOSTLY TERR PARTMENTS OF THE UNTRY WH WEAK LAW ENFORCEMENT. SEVERAL TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED THE NTUED PROBLEM OF EXTRALEGAL FORCED REMOVAL OF LOL INDIGENO GROUPS OM LAND AND THE LACK OF PROPER ERNMENT VOLVEMENT TO ENSURE THAT REMOVALS WERE NDUCTED LEGALLY. REMOVALS WERE SOMETIM NDUCTED BY SECURY GUARDS HIRED BY PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND SOMETIM BY GROUPS OF OTHER LOL DIVIDUALS THAT WANTED TO TAKE OVER LAND. ONE SUCH FORCED REMOVAL OCCURRED LA PILAS, CAHABON, ALTA VERAPAZ, ON APRIL 5. A GROUP OF DOZENS OF RINTS ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE APPROXIMATELY 15 FAI THE MUNY OF LAS PILAS BY THREATENG THEM WH BEG SHOT, BEATGS, AND BY BURNG THE SHELTERS THEY LIVE . ACRDG TO A LOL OFFICIAL OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE, THE VLENCE GENERATED BY THIS NFLICT MA POLICE HANT TO RPOND DUE TO FEAR FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY, AS THE POLICE WERE FAR OUTNUMBERED BY THE ASSAILANTS. MEMBERS OF THE DISPLACED MUNY STATED THAT AS OF SEPTEMBER THE THREATS AGAST THEM NTUED AND THE NFLICT OVER THE LAND HAD NOT END. THERE WAS NFLICT THE TERR OF THE UNTRY BETWEEN INDIGENO EVANGELIL GROUPS AND INDIGENO ADHERENTS OF MAYAN SPIRUAL GROUPS. THIS ICTN RULTED VLENCE ONE CINT ON MAY 16, CHICHIPATE, IZABAL. MEMBERS OF THE LOL MUNY ERNMENT THORY ILLEGALLY TAED MAYAN SPIRUAL GUI ALA CHOC CZ AND HER ADULT CHILD, SANDRA TEC CHOC, AND THREATENED TO BURN CHOC CZ ALIVE FOR MTG ACTS OF WCHCRAFT AGAST THE CHILD OF A LOL EVANGELIL LEAR. COMMUNY MEMBERS BURNED CHOC CZ’S HOE AND WARD OFF POLICE THAT ATTEMPTED TO TERVENE. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAD NOT BROUGHT CHARG AGAST, NOR HAD THE POLICE ARRTED, THOSE ACCED OF THE THREATS AGAST CHOC CZ. THE LAW PROHIBS DISCRIMATN BASED ON HIV OR AIDS STAT. SOCIAL DISCRIMATN AND STIGMA AROUND AIDS AND HIV NTUED TO BE PROBLEMATIC AND NTRIBUTED TO NOT ONLY THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE BUT ALSO MORTALY RAT. SOME ERNMENT THORI REQUIRED CIZENS TO REVEAL HIV AND AIDS TT RULTS TO RECEIVE CERTA PUBLIC BENEFS, AND SOME EMPLOYERS REQUIRED SIAR DISCLOSURE TO BE HIRED. DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS WH HIV OR AIDS WAS PARTICULARLY MON AND AFFECTED ACCS TO HIV-PREVENTN PROGRAMS, PECIALLY FOR TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS. SECTN 7. WORKER RIGHTS A. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAG THE LAW PROVIS FOR THE RIGHT OF WORKERS, EXCEPT FOR SECURY FORCE MEMBERS, TO FORM AND JO TRA UNNS, NDUCT LEGAL STRIK, AND BARGA LLECTIVELY. THE LAW, HOWEVER, PLAC SOME RTRICTNS ON THE RIGHTS. FOR EXAMPLE, LEGAL REGNN OF AN DTRYWI UNN REQUIR THAT THE MEMBERSHIP NSTUTE A MAJORY OF THE WORKERS AN DTRY. THE LAW RTRICTS UNN LEARSHIP TO CIZENS. MISTRI AND BS ARE REQUIRED TO NEGOTIATE ONLY WH THE LARGT UNN, AS TERMED BY ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP. THE LAW PROHIBS ANTIUNN DISCRIMATN AND EMPLOYER TERFERENCE UNN ACTIVI AND REQUIR EMPLOYERS TO RESTATE WORKERS DISMISSED FOR ANIZG UNN ACTIVI. A STRIKE MT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE MAJORY OF A PANY’S WORKFORCE. WORKERS ARE NOT RTRICTED TO MEMBERSHIP ONE UNN OR ONE DTRY. THE PRINT AND BET MAY SPEND ANY STRIKE EMED GRAVELY PREJUDICIAL TO THE UNTRY’S SENTIAL ACTIVI AND PUBLIC SERVIC. THE ERNMENT F SENTIAL SERVIC MORE BROADLY THAN TERNATNAL STANDARDS, TH NYG THE RIGHT TO STRIKE TO MANY PUBLIC WORKERS, SUCH AS THOSE WORKG POSTAL SERVIC, TRANSPORT, AND THE PRODUCTN, TRANSPORTATN, AND DISTRIBUTN OF ENERGY. PUBLIC EMPLOYE MAY ADDRS GRIEVANC BY MEANS OF NCILIATN FOR LLECTIVE DISPUT AND ARBRATN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE LABOR URTS. FOR SECTORS NSIRED SENTIAL, ARBRATN IS PULSORY IF THERE IS NO AGREEMENT AFTER 30 DAYS OF NCILIATN. THE LAW PROHIBS EMPLOYER RETALIATN AGAST WORKERS ENGAGED LEGAL STRIK. IF THORI DO NOT REGNIZE A STRIKE AS LEGAL, EMPLOYERS MAY SPEND OR TERMATE WORKERS FOR ABSENCE WHOUT LEAVE. A FACTORY OR BS OWNER IS NOT OBLIGATED TO NEGOTIATE A LLECTIVE BARGAG AGREEMENT UNLS AT LEAST 25 PERCENT OF WORKERS THE FACTORY OR BS ARE UNN MEMBERS AND REQUT NEGOTIATNS. ONCE A STRIKE OCCURS, PANI ARE REQUIRED TO CLOSE DURG NEGOTIATNS. STRIK WERE EXTREMELY RARE, BUT WORK STOPPAG WERE MON. THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE THE LAW; THREATS AND VLENCE AGAST TRA UNNISTS NTUED. THE MISTRY OF LABOR HAS THE THORY TO SANCTN EMPLOYERS FOR VLATG UNN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG RIGHTS, BUT ERNMENT STUTNS, SUCH AS THE MISTRY OF LABOR AND THE LABOR URTS, DID NOT EFFECTIVELY VTIGATE, PROSECUTE, OR PUNISH EMPLOYERS WHO VLATED EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG RIGHTS. PROCRAL HURDL, RTRICTNS ON AND LAYS FORMG UNNS, AND IMPUNY FOR EMPLOYERS REJECTG OR IGNORG URT ORRS SEVERELY LIMED EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG. PENALTI WERE LS THAN THOSE FOR OTHER LAWS VOLVG NIALS OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SUCH AS DISCRIMATN. LABOR URTS ALSO FAILED TO PEL PLIANCE WH RESTATEMENT ORRS, CLUDG PAYMENT OF BACK WAG, FOR WORKERS ILLEGALLY DISMISSED FOR ENGAGG UNN ACTIVI, PECIALLY RAL AREAS. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL BACKLOG OF S THE LABOR URTS THAT ED LAYS OF UP TO FIVE YEARS. THE PUBLIC MISTRY WAS EFFECTIVE RPONDG TO LABOR URT REFERRALS FOR CRIMAL PROSECUTN S WHERE EMPLOYERS REFED TO PLY WH LABOR URT ORRS. IN THE LABOR SPECTN SYSTEM AND THE LABOR URTS, EMPLOYERS ROUTELY FLUENCED THORI TO FAVOR THEIR TERTS OR SIMPLY REFED TO PLY. ACRDG TO THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FOR CRIM AGAST UNNISTS, 70 PERCENT OF PLATS 2020 VOLVED PERSISTENT EMPLOYER REFAL TO PLY WH JUDICIAL ORRS. PENALTI WERE RARELY SUCCSFULLY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE REPORTED THAT SPECTED 10 S OF POTENTIAL VLATNS TO THE RIGHT TO FORM AN PENNT UNN OR LLECTIVELY BARGA. WORKER REPRENTATIV REPORTED NO SIGNIFINT IMPROVEMENT PLIANCE WH THE LAW SPE THE MISTRY’S THORY TO SANCTN EMPLOYERS DIRECTLY. THE REPRENTATIV NOTED THAT THE SPECTORATE EMPHASIZED THE LLECTN OF F, WHICH WENT TO THE LABOR SPECTORATE, OVER REMEDIATN OF THE UNRLYG VLATNS. LACK OF RMATN REGARDG THE LAW’S IMPLEMENTATN MA DIFFICULT TO ASSS S IMPACT ON IMPROVG LABOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE UN FOR CRIM AGAST UNNISTS WH THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS THE PUBLIC MISTRY WAS RPONSIBLE FOR VTIGATG ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAST UNN MEMBERS AS WELL AS FOR NONPLIANCE WH JUDICIAL ORRS LABOR S. THE ERNMENT REPORTED AN CREASED BUDGET FOR THE UN, BUT STAFFG FOR THE UN REMAED STAGNANT, AND THERE WERE NO SUCCSFUL PROSECUTNS THIS YEAR. AS OF NOVEMBER, THE TRA UNN PERMANENT COMMISSN FOR PROTECTN, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NVENED BY THE PUBLIC MISTRY TO ADDRS PROBLEMS OF ANTIUNN VLENCE, HELD NO MEETGS. THIS MISSN HAD NOT HELD REGULAR MEETGS SCE 2018. ACRDG TO NGOS, THE GENERAL INSPECTORATE OF LABOR FAILED TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS WHO FORMED NEW UNNS WERE PROTECTED OM TERMATN. THE SPECTORATE EQUENTLY FAILED TO NOTIFY THE PANI OF THE FORMATN OF THE UNN AND THE PROHIBN AGAST FIRG THE FOUNRS, OR THE SPECTORATE FAILED TO DO SO WH THE TIMEAME REQUIRED BY LAW. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR FAILED TO REGISTER UNNS WH THE PRCRIBED TIMEAME. WORKERS AND THE MISTRY OF LABOR AGREED THE PROCRAL MANUAL FOR REGISTERG UNNS NEED TO BE UPDATED AND ALIGNED WH THE CURRENT LABOR LAWS. WORKERS FORMED A UNN AT CENTEXSA S.A. HOSIERY MANUFACTURG AND SUBMTED THEIR REGISTRATN ON FEBARY 6 TO THE MISTRY OF LABOR. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR INTIFIED MOR ERRORS, WHICH THE UNN IMMEDIATELY RRECTED. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR FOUND NEW ERRORS AND FORCED THE UNN TO RUBM DOCUMENTATN THREE TIM REGNIZG OFFICIAL REGISTRATN. ON APRIL 7, THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR CERTIFIED THE UNN, WELL BEYOND THE REQUIRED 20 DAYS AFTER RECEIVG THE REQUT. THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FOR CRIM AGAST JUDICIAL WORKERS AND UNNISTS REPORTED THAT OM JANUARY TO AUGT, RECEIVED 53 PLATS OF CRIM OR OFFENS AGAST TRA UNNISTS AND LABOR ACTIVISTS. FROM JANUARY TO AUGT, AN NGO REGISTERED FOUR ATH THREATS AND SIX S OF THREATS AND TIMIDATN AGAST TRA UNNISTS AND LABOR ACTIVISTS. ONE UNN LEAR RECEIVED A ATH THREAT OVER THE TELEPHONE. UNN LEARS OM AN APPAREL MANUFACTURG PANY FILED A CRIMAL PLAT WH THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE ALLEGG THREATS AND TIMIDATN CHARG; THE SE REMAED UNR VTIGATN. IN THAT SE, THORI PROVID PROTECTN SUCH AS POLICE PRENCE AND PERIMETER PATROLS THE AREAS SURROUNDG THE FACTORY AND RINC OF THE AFFECTED TRA UNNISTS. LABOR RIGHTS FENRS NOTED AN CREASE MASS FIRGS, E OF FORCE AGAST LLECTIVE ACTN, AND CRIMALIZATN OF WORKER PROTT. EMPLOYERS ROUTELY RISTED ATTEMPTS TO FORM UNNS, LAYED OR ONLY PARTIALLY PLIED WH AGREEMENTS OM DIRECT NEGOTIATNS, AND IGNORED JUDICIAL LGS REQUIRG THE EMPLOYER TO NEGOTIATE WH REGNIZED UNNS. THERE NTUED TO BE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF EMPLOYERS RETALIATG AGAST WORKERS WHO TRIED TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS. THERE WERE NUMERO PLATS ABOUT FIRGS OR SPENSNS ALLEGG EMPLOYER RETALIATN FOR UNN ACTIVY, ACRDG TO AN NGO. AUTHORI FAILED TO ENFORCE LABOR LAWS AND LET PLATS OF RETALIATN AGAST UNN MEMBERS LANGUISH. FOR EXAMPLE, AT CARN PROCADAS, THE PANY FIRED 45 UNN MEMBERS, AND SPE 31 ORRS OF RESTATEMENT OM THE URTS, REFED TO OBEY ANY OF THE ORRS. THE WORKERS REMAED WHOUT EMPLOYMENT SPE THE EMPLOYER REFG TO FOLLOW URT ORRS AND BEG FOUND NTEMPT. IN JANUARY A GROUP OF WORKERS OM AN APPAREL MANUFACTURG PANY NOTIFIED GLOBAL BRANDS FOR WHICH THEY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OF THEIR TENTN TO FORM A UNN, ACRDG TO AN NGO. OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, THE PANY FIRED NE WORKERS WHO TEND TO FORM A UNN. THE WORKERS ALERTED THE BRANDS OF THEIR DISMISSAL AND WERE RESTATED SIX DAYS LATER PER THE REQUT OF THE BRANDS. DPE HAVG FILED PLATS WH THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE, NO SPECTN WAS RRIED OUT UNTIL MONTHS LATER WHEN WORKERS WERE ALREADY RESTATED TO THEIR WORK DUE TO THE BRANDS’ TERVENTNS. B. PROHIBN OF FORCED OR COMPULSORY LABOR THE LAW PROHIBS AND CRIMALIZ ALL FORMS OF FORCED OR PULSORY LABOR. THE ERNMENT FAILED TO ENFORCE THE LAW EFFECTIVELY. REPORTS PERSISTED OF MEN AND WOMEN SUBJECTED TO FORCED LABOR AGRICULTURE AND DOMTIC SERVICE, MOSTLY THE PALM OIL DTRY. CRIMAL PENALTI FOR FORCED LABOR RANGE OM EIGHT TO 18 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT AND A FE. THE ERNMENT HAS SPECIALIZED POLICE AND PROSECUTORS WHO HANDLE S OF HUMAN TRAFFICKG, CLUDG FORCED LABOR. LOL EXPERTS REPORTED SOME PROSECUTORS LACKED AQUATE TRAG. THERE WERE REPORTS OF FORCED CHILD LABOR AGRICULTURE, PRODUCTN OF GARMENTS, DOMTIC WORK, STREET BEGGG, MAKG RN TORTILLAS, AND VENDG (SEE SECTN 7.C.). ALSO SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S TRAFFICKG PERSONS REPORT AT . C. PROHIBN OF CHILD LABOR AND MIMUM AGE FOR EMPLOYMENT SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S FDGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR AT . D. DISCRIMATN WH RPECT TO EMPLOYMENT AND OCCUPATN THE LAW EXPLICLY PROHIBS DISCRIMATN WH RPECT TO EMPLOYMENT OR OCCUPATN BASED ON RACE, LOR, SEX, ETHNICY, PREGNANCY STAT, RELIGN, POLIL OPN, NATNAL ORIG OR CIZENSHIP, AGE, AND DISABILY. THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE THE LAW AND RELATED REGULATNS. PENALTI WERE LS SEVERE THAN THOSE FOR LAWS RELATED TO CIVIL RIGHTS, SUCH AS ELECTN TERFERENCE. PENALTI WERE RARELY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. DISCRIMATN EMPLOYMENT AND OCCUPATN OCCURRED. NO PROVISNS THE LABOR PROVI SPECIFIC PROTECTNS TO GENR INTY, HIV OR AIDS STAT, OR REFUGEE OR STATELS STAT. ANECDOTALLY, WAGE DISCRIMATN BASED ON RACE AND SEX OCCURRED OFTEN RAL AREAS. ACRDG TO DATA OM A NATNAL SURVEY, WOMEN’S WAG REPRENTED 73 PERCENT OF THE MEN’S AVERAGE WAGE. OF THE WORKG-AGE POPULATN, 63 PERCENT WERE ENOMILLY ACTIVE; MEN’S PARTICIPATN THE LABOR FORCE WAS 86 PERCENT, NTRASTG WH 43 PERCENT FOR WOMEN. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB SEXUAL HARASSMENT THE PRIVATE-SECTOR WORKPLACE. HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT WAS WISPREAD (SEE SECTN 6). GARIFUNA AND AO-SCENNT POPULATNS REPORTED THEIR ABILY TO OBTA WORK NTRACTS DUE TO THEIR RACE, CREASG THEIR RISK OF LABOR EXPLOATN. UNNIZED WORKERS OM THE SOUTHERN AST PLAED OF DISCRIMATORY TREATMENT BASED ON GENR EXPRSN, SPECIFILLY RELATED TO THEIR PHYSIL APPEARANCE, THEIR WAY OF DRSG, AND GTURAL BEHAVR. THE UNNIZED WORKERS DITED THAT SOME OF THE S HAD BEEN TAKEN TO LABOR NCILIATN BOARDS. MOST S WERE ROLVED FAVORABLY BUT WHOUT SPECIFILLY ACKNOWLEDGG DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY. E. ACCEPTABLE CONDNS OF WORK WAGE AND HOUR LAWS: THE LAW SETS NATNAL MIMUM WAG FOR AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL WORK AND FOR WORK GARMENT FACTORI. THE MIMUM WAG DID NOT MEET THE MIMUM FOOD BUDGET FOR A FAY OF FIVE. THE LEGAL WORKWEEK IS 48 HOURS, WH AT LEAST ONE PAID 24-HOUR RT PERD. THE LAW PROHIBS WORKERS OM WORKG MORE THAN 12 HOURS A DAY. THE LAW PROVIS FOR 12 PAID ANNUAL HOLIDAYS AND PAID VATN OF 15 WORKG DAYS AFTER ONE YEAR’S WORK. DAILY AND WEEKLY MAXIMUM HOUR LIMS DO NOT APPLY TO DOMTIC WORKERS. TIME-AND-A-HALF PAY IS REQUIRED FOR OVERTIME WORK, AND THE LAW PROHIBS EXCSIVE PULSORY OVERTIME. THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE REPORTED THAT MOST SPECTNS WERE TRIGGERED BY PLATS ABOUT BENEFS AND WAG. OTHER FACTORS NTRIBUTG TO THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT CLUD EMPLOYER REFAL TO PERM LABOR SPECTORS TO ENTER FACILI, EMPLOYER REFAL TO PROVI PAYROLL RERDS AND OTHER DOCUMENTATN, AND SPECTORS’ LACK OF FOLLOW-UP SPECTNS THE FACE OF SUCH REFALS. TRA UNN LEARS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS REPORTED EMPLOYERS REQUIRED WORKERS TO WORK OVERTIME WHOUT RECEIVG LEGALLY MANDATED PREMIUM PAY. MANAGEMENT OFTEN MANIPULATED EMPLOYER-PROVID TRANSPORTATN TO WORKS TO FORCE EMPLOYE TO WORK OVERTIME, PECIALLY EXPORT-PROCSG ZON LOTED ISOLATED AREAS WH LIMED TRANSPORTATN ALTERNATIV. NONPLIANCE WH MIMUM WAGE PROVISNS THE AGRICULTURAL AND RMAL SECTORS WAS WISPREAD. ADVOCY GROUPS TIMATED MOST WORKERS RAL AREAS WHO ENGAGED DAYLONG EMPLOYMENT DID NOT RECEIVE THE WAG, BENEFS, OR SOCIAL SECURY ALLOTNS REQUIRED BY LAW. MANY EMPLOYERS THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REPORTEDLY NDNED PAYMENT OF THE MIMUM DAILY WAGE ON EXCSIVE PRODUCTN QUOTAS THAT WORKERS GENERALLY WERE UNABLE TO MEET. TO MEET THE QUOTA, WORKERS BELIEVED THEMSELV PELLED TO WORK EXTRA HOURS, SOMETIM BRGG FAY MEMBERS, CLUDG CHILDREN, TO HELP WH THE WORK. BEE OF HAVG TO WORK BEYOND THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED HOURS PER DAY, WORKERS RECEIVED LS THAN THE MIMUM WAGE FOR THE DAY AND DID NOT RECEIVE THE REQUIRED OVERTIME PAY. LOL UNNS HIGHLIGHTED AND PROTTED VLATNS BY EMPLOYERS WHO FAILED TO PAY EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE NTRIBUTNS TO THE NATNAL SOCIAL SECURY SYSTEM SPE DUCTG EMPLOYEE NTRIBUTNS OM WORKERS’ PAYCHECKS. THE VLATNS, PARTICULARLY MON EXPORT AND AGRICULTURAL DTRI, RULTED LIMG OR NYG EMPLOYE’ ACCS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM AND A RCTN OF WORKERS’ PENSN BENEFS. MANY EMPLOYERS OF DOMTIC SERVANTS ROUTELY PAID LS THAN MIMUM WAGE, FAILED TO REGISTER THEIR EMPLOYE WH THE GUATEMALAN INSTUTE OF SOCIAL SECURY, AND MAND 16-HOUR DAYS FOR SIX OR MORE DAYS A WEEK FOR LIVE- STAFF. OCCUPATNAL SAFETY AND HEALTH: THE ERNMENT SET OCCUPATNAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) STANDARDS THAT WERE AQUATE AND OUTDATED. ACRDG TO THE MOST RECENT REPORTS, WHICH WERE OM 2018, THE MISTRY OF LABOR REPORTED THAT OCCUPATNAL ACCINTS WERE A EQUENT OCCURRENCE GUATEMALA CY, PARTICULARLY THE NSTCTN AND FOOD DISTRIBUTN SECTORS. IN JUNE FIVE WORKERS OM A MUNICIPAL WATER PANY WERE SWEPT AWAY BY RAWATER WHILE CLEANG AN ABSORPTN WELL GUATEMALA CY. TWO OF THE WORKERS DIED. THE LAW DO NOT PROVI FOR THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO REMOVE THEMSELV OM SUATNS THAT ENDANGER HEALTH OR SAFETY. WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH ENFORCEMENT: THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH LAWS. EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF OVERTIME ABE BY EMPLOYERS WAS UNRMED BY AQUATE F AND THE RELUCTANCE OF LABOR URTS TO E PULSORY MEASUR SUCH AS CREASED F AND REFERRALS TO THE CRIMAL URTS. PENALTI FOR WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH VLATNS WERE LS THAN THOSE FOR ANALOGO CRIM SUCH AS NEGLIGENCE. PENALTI WERE RARELY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. INSPECTORS PREVLY LACKED VEHICL OR FUEL TO RRY OUT SPECTNS, BUT THE MISTRY OF LABOR OBTAED ADDNAL NEW VEHICL 2021. INSPECTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE UNANNOUNCED SPECTNS. IN SOME S, SPECTORS FAILED TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTN TO GA ACCS TO WORKS WHEN EMPLOYERS REFED TO PERM ACCS. INSPECTORS WERE ENURAGED TO SEEK POLICE ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED. INSPECTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO IATE SANCTNS; ANY F LLECTED GO TO THE MISTRY. APPROXIMATELY 43 PERCENT OF THE LABOR SPECTORATE’S SPECTNS RRIED OUT OM JANUARY TO AUGT WERE PLAT-DRIVEN. INSPECTNS WERE GENERALLY NOT PREHENSIVE, AND IF PLAT-DRIVEN, FOCED ON VTIGATG THE ALLEGED VLATN RATHER THAN ATTEMPTG TO MAXIMIZE LIMED ROURC TO TERME PLIANCE BEYOND THE DIVIDUAL PLAT. MANY SPECTORS PERFORMED REVIEWS ON PAPER OR ADMISTRATIVE DUTI RATHER THAN DOG ON-SE SPECTNS. ALTHOUGH THE LABOR SPECTORATE HIRED SEVEN ADDNAL SPECTORS 2021, THE NUMBER OF SPECTORS WAS SUFFICIENT TO SUCCSFULLY ENFORCE LABOR LAW. THE MISTRY HAD 159 LABOR SPECTORS AND 22 PARTMENTAL LEGAT AUGT. THE MISTRY HAD -PERSON SERVICE WDOWS GUATEMALA CY TO RECEIVE LABOR PLATS. DURG THE PANMIC, THE MISTRY HAD CLOSED S OFFIC TO THE PUBLIC, AND WORKERS WERE UNABLE TO PRENT PLATS PERSON, BUT -PERSON SERVICE RUMED DURG THE YEAR. THE MISTRY ALSO OPENED A LL CENTER. DUE TO EFFICIENT AND LENGTHY URT PROCEEDGS, THE ROLUTN OF LABOR URT S WAS OFTEN LAYED, MANY STANC FOR SEVERAL YEARS. EMPLOYERS FAILG TO PROVI A SAFE WORKPLACE WERE RARELY PUNISHED, AND A LAW REQUIRG PANI WH MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYE TO PROVI ONSE MEDIL FACILI FOR THEIR WORKERS WAS NOT ENFORCED. INFORMAL SECTOR: ACRDG TO NATNAL STATISTICS INSTUTE DATA, 70.8 PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE WORKED THE RMAL SECTOR AND WERE TH OUTSI THE BASIC PROTECTNS AFFORD BY LABOR LAW. WOMEN PRISED MOST OF THE RMAL SECTOR, WH SOME REPORTS NOTG WOMEN PRISED 88 PERCENT OF THE RMAL SECTOR RAL AREAS. TYP OF RMAL WORK CLUD STREET AND MARKET VENDORS, RECYCLERS AND TRASH PICKERS, DAY LABORERS, AND SHORT-TERM (20 TO 30 DAYS) AGRICULTURAL WORKERS UALLY HIRED THROUGH RECERS AND WHOUT A LABOR NTRACT OR DIRECT-HIRE RELATNSHIP WH THE EMPLOYER. INFORMAL ENOMY WORKERS WERE NOT SUBJECT TO WAGE, HOUR, OSH, OR SPECTN LAWS. THEY WERE NOT ENROLLED SOCIAL SECURY AND HAD NO WAY TO ACCUMULATE CREDS FOR HEALTH RE OR PENSN. HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS, REPORTS U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA
- GUATEMALA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY NGRSMAN BRAC FOR BATTLE
U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA LANGUAGE ENGLISH ESPAñOL // MENU EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENS U.S. VISAS U.S. PASSPORTS U.S. CIZEN SERVIC NOTARIALS NEWS & EVENTS JOB OPPORTUNI BS EDUTN & EXCHANG CONTACT SEARCH×SEARCH COUNTRY/AREA AFGHANISTANALBANIAALGERIAANGOLAARGENTAARMENIAATRALIAATRIAAZERBAIJANBAHAMASBAHRABANGLASHBARBADOSBELASBELGIUMBELIZEBENBERMUDABOLIVIABOSNIA & HERZEABOTSWANABRAZILBNEIBULGARIABURKA FASOBURMABUNDICABO VERCAMBODIACAMEROONCANADACENTRAL AIN REPUBLICCHADCHILECHACOLOMBIACOMOROSCOSTA RICôTE D’IVOIRECROATIACUBACURAOCYPSCZECH REPUBLICDEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGODENMARKDJIBOUTIDOMIN REPUBLICECUADOREGYPTEL SALVADOREQUATORIAL GUEAERREAESTONIAESWATIETHPIAFIJIFLANDFRANCEGABONGEIAGERMANYGHANAGREECEGUATEMALAGUEAU.S. VIRTUAL PRENCE GUEA-BISSGUYANATHE GAMBIAHAIHONDURASHONG KONG AND MAUHUNGARYICELANDINDIAINDONIAIRANIRAQIRELANDISRAELITALYJAMAIJAPANJORDANKAZAKHSTANKENYAKOREAKOSOVOKUWAKYRGYZ REPUBLICLAOSLATVIALEBANONLOTHOLIBERIALIBYALHUANIALUXEMBOURGMADAGASRMALAWIMALAYSIAMALDIVMALIMALTAMARSHALL ISLANDSMRANIAMRIMEXIMICRONIAMOLDOVAMONGOLIAMONTENEGROMOROCMOZAMBIQUENAMIBIANEPALNETHERLANDSNEW ZEALANDNIRAGUANIGERNIGERIANORTH MACEDONIANORWAYOMANPAKISTANPALPALTIAN TERRORIPANAMAPAPUA NEW GUEAPARAGUAYPEPHILIPPPOLANDPORTUGALQATARREPUBLIC OF CONGOROMANIARSIARWANDASAMOASAN MAROSDI ARABIASENEGALSERBIASIERRA LEONESGAPORESLOVAKIASLOVENIASOLOMON ISLANDSSOMALIASOUTH AISOUTH SUDANSPASRI LANKASUDANSURAMESWENSWZERLANDSYRIAAMERIN INSTUTE TAIWANTAJIKISTANTANZANIATHAILANDTIMOR-LTETOGOTONGATRIDAD & TOBAGOTUNISIATüRKIYETURKMENISTANUGANDAUKRAEUNED ARAB EMIRATUNED KGDOMUGUAYUZBEKISTANVANUATUVENEZUELAVIETNAMYEMENZAMBIAZIMBABWEU.S. MISSN TO ASEANU.S. MISSN TO THE AIN UNNU.S. MISSN TO THE EUHOLY SEEU.S. MISSN TO THE ICAOU.S. MISSN TO NATOU.S. MISSN TO OSCEU.S. MISSN TO THE OASU.S. MISSN TO THE OECDU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-GENEVAU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-ROMEU.S. MISSN TO THE UNED NATNSU.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS VIENNA EMERGENCY INFORMATN FOR AMERIN CIZENSPREVNEXT EMERGENCY ASSISTANCELOL EMERGENCY INFORMATN AND CONTACTS ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENSREAD ALERTS FOR U.S. CIZENS VIS FOR MORE INFORMATN PREVNEXT GUATEMALA 2022 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BY U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA 76 MINUTE READMARCH 21, 2023 GUATEMALA 2022 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GUATEMALA IS A MULTIPARTY NSTUTNAL REPUBLIC. THE UNTRY LAST HELD NATNAL AND LOL ELECTNS 2019. VOTERS ELECTED ALEJANDRO EDUARDO GIAMMATTEI FALLA AS PRINT FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM BEGNG JANUARY 2020. INTERNATNAL OBSERVERS NSIRED THE PRINTIAL ELECTN AS GENERALLY EE AND FAIR. THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT AND HEAD BY A DIRECTOR GENERAL APPOTED BY THE MISTER, IS RPONSIBLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE MISTRY OF NATNAL DEFENSE OVERSE THE ARY, WHICH FOC PRIMARILY ON OPERATNS FENSE OF THE UNTRY, BUT THE ERNMENT ALSO ED THE ARMY TO SUPPORT THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE TERNAL SECURY OPERATNS, AS PERMTED BY THE NSTUTN. CIVILIAN THORI MATAED EFFECTIVE NTROL OVER THE SECURY FORC. THERE WERE REPORTS THAT MEMBERS OF SECURY FORC MTED SOME AB. SIGNIFINT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSU CLUD CREDIBLE REPORTS OF: HARSH AND LIFE-THREATENG PRISON NDNS; ARBRARY ARRT AND TENTN; TRANSNATNAL REPRSN AGAST DIVIDUALS ANOTHER UNTRY, CLUDG THREATS, HARASSMENT, SURVEILLANCE, ERCN, AND MISE OF TERNATNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS; SER PROBLEMS WH THE PENNCE OF THE JUDICIARY; SER RTRICTNS ON EE EXPRSN AND MEDIA, CLUDG THREATS OF VLENCE AGAST JOURNALISTS AND UNJTIFIED ARRTS OR PROSECUTNS AGAST JOURNALISTS; SER ERNMENT RPTN; LACK OF VTIGATN OF AND ACUNTABILY FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG MEMBERS OF INDIGENO GROUPS; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR, QUEER, OR TERSEX PERSONS; CRIM VOLVG VLENCE OR THREATS OF VLENCE TARGETG PERSONS WH DISABILI; AND SIGNIFINT RTRICTNS ON WORKERS’ EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN, CLUDG VLENCE AND THREATS AGAST UNN LEARS. IMPUNY, CLUDG BY HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS, NTUED TO BE WISPREAD. CORPTN, EFFORTS BY ANIZED CRIMAL ACTORS TO SECURE IMPUNY, AND UNRMG OF ANTIRPTN STUTNS AND THE JUDICIARY BY RPT POLIL ACTORS MA DIFFICULT FOR MEANGFUL VTIGATN AND PROSECUTN OF CRIM, CLUDG RPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS AB, VOLVG PUBLIC OFFICIALS. SECTN 1. RPECT FOR THE INTEGRY OF THE PERSON A. ARBRARY DEPRIVATN OF LIFE AND OTHER UNLAWFUL OR POLILLY MOTIVATED KILLGS THERE WERE NO NFIRMED REPORTS THAT THE ERNMENT OR S AGENTS MTED ARBRARY OR UNLAWFUL KILLGS, BUT THERE WERE KILLGS OF ACTIVISTS UNR SPIC CIRCUMSTANC, AND RPT POLICE WERE VOLVED WH VLENT CRIMAL ANIZATNS RPONSIBLE FOR KILLGS (SEE SECTN 4). THE NATNAL CIVIL POLICE (PNC) TERMED THREE PNC OFFICIALS (ONE OFFICER AND TWO VTIGATORS) WERE VOLVED THE CRIMAL ANIZATN “LOS OAJACA,” WHICH WAS RPONSIBLE FOR DG TRAFFICKG, NTRACT KILLGS, KIDNAPPGS, EXTORTN, ILLEGAL FIREARMS SAL, AND SMUGGLG. THE THREE OFFICIALS WERE ALL TRIED AND SENTENCED JULY FOR THEIR VOLVEMENT THE CRIMAL ANIZATN. THE VTIGATN REVEALED THAT THE PNC OFFICIALS LLABORATED WH MYNOR FABRIC OAJA QUIROA, LEAR OF THE CRIMAL GROUP. ON JULY 20, QUIROA WAS SENTENCED TO 256 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS PRISON FOR MULTIPLE UNTS OF MURR. AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN ALLEGED THAT AT LEAST FOUR MEMBERS OF RAL AND INDIGENO ACTIVIST GROUPS WERE KILLED OR DIED DISPUTED CIRCUMSTANC BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE. SOME OF THE KILLGS APPEARED TO BE POLILLY MOTIVATED, AND ALL THE S REMAED UNR VTIGATN AT YEAR’S END. FOR EXAMPLE, ON JUNE 7, MORAL, IZABAL, UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS SHOT AND KILLED PABLO RAMOS, A MEMBER OF THE INDIGENO ACTIVIST GROUP THE COMMTEE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (CODECA), AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT A NEGOTIATN OVER LAND RIGHTS THAT AREA. CODECA REPRENTATIV ALLEGED THAT MEMBERS OF A FAY NFLICT WH CODECA OVER LAND RIGHTS ARRANGED FOR THE KILLG. THE ERNMENT’S PROSECUTN OF JOSE MRIC RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ NTUED WHOUT ROLUTN. RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ, TELLIGENCE CHIEF UNR THEN PRINT RS MONTT, WAS ACCED OF GENOCI AGAST THE MAYA IXIL MUNY DURG THE UNTRY’S 36-YEAR TERNAL ARMED NFLICT (1960-96). IN FEBARY 2021 AN APPELLATE URT LED THAT GENOCI OCCURRED AGAST THE INDIGENO MAYA IXIL PEOPLE, BUT THE APPELLATE URT CHOSE TO UPHOLD THE LG THE 2018 TRIAL THAT ACQUTED RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ OF ALL CRIM OF GENOCI. IN MARCH 2021 THE PUBLIC MISTRY APPEALED THAT LG TO THE SUPREME COURT, BUT AS OF SEPTEMBER, A FAL ROLUTN HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MOVED FORWARD S OF HUMAN RIGHTS AB OM THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT ERA. IN THE GENOCI SE OF LUIS ENRIQUE MENDOZA GARCIA, OPERATNS MANR UNR THEN PRINT RS MONTT, JUDGE SILVIA LEON OF HIGH-RISK COURT C ORRED THE SE TO E TO PUBLIC TRIAL. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED VTIGATN OF ANOTHER SE OF GENOCI OF THE MAYA IXIL MUNY OM THE LAST MONTHS OF FORMER PRINT ROMEO LUS GARCIA’S ERNMENT (1978-82). THREE HIGH-RANKG ARY OFFICERS, CAR OCTAV NOGUERA ARGUETA, MANUEL CALLEJAS Y CALLEJAS, AND BENEDICTO LUS GARCIA, WERE CHARGED THIS SE. THE PROSECUTN NTUED AGAST CALLEJAS AND LUS; NOGUERA DIED NOVEMBER 2020. IN AUGT 2021 JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ OF HIGH-RISK COURT B CID TO BRG THE SE TO PUBLIC TRIAL. CALLEJAS AND LUS, PRISON SCE 2016, WERE BOTH PREVLY NVICTED OF SER CRIM THE MOLA THEISSEN SE AND WERE SERVG 58-YEAR PRISON SENTENC. JUDGE GALVEZ LEFT THE UNTRY NOVEMBER (SEE SECTN 5), AND THE JUDGE NOW HANDLG THE SE HAD NOT TAKEN FURTHER ACTN THE CALLEJAS AND LUS S AS OF EARLY DECEMBER. ON NOVEMBER 9, AN APPEALS URT GRANTED AN JUNCTN AGAST GALVEZ’S ROLUTN THAT ORRED TO TRIAL RETIRED LONEL JABO ESDRAS SALAN SANCHEZ, ACCED OF WAR CRIM THE FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND EXECUTN OF POLIL DISSINTS. IN NOVEMBER HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE CLTTE DOMGUEZ GRANTED HOE ARRT TO FORMER ARY OFFICER TORIB ACEVEDO RAMIREZ, ANOTHER ACCED WAR CRIMAL ARRTED MAY AFTER YEARS AS A FUGIVE. B. DISAPPEARANCE THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF DISAPPEARANC DURG THE YEAR BY OR ON BEHALF OF ERNMENT THORI. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED TO VTIGATE AND PROSECUTE S OF FORCED DISAPPEARANC OM THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT PERD, ALTHOUGH AT TIM ATTORNEY GENERAL MARIA CONSUELO PORRAS STALLED PROGRS S OF GENOCI AND DISAPPEARANC OM THAT PERD. THE “DIAR MILAR” SE NTUED AGAST 14 FORMER ERNMENT AND ARY MEMBERS WHO WERE ACCED OF CRIM AGAST HUMANY, CLUDG FORCED DISAPPEARANC 1983 AND 1985 DURG THE 30-YEAR TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. IN MAY 2021 JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ ISSUED 17 ARRT WARRANTS FOR DIVIDUALS MATERIALLY VOLVED WH, OR WHO DIRECTLY ENFORCED, DISAPPEARANC, TORTURE, RAPE, AND EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTNS THE DIAR MILAR SE. ON MAY 6, GALVEZ ORRED THE SE TO BE BROUGHT TO PUBLIC TRIAL AGAST NE OF THE DIVIDUALS. (SEE SECTN 5 REGARDG THREATS MA AGAST GALVEZ.) IN NOVEMBER AN APPEALS URT GRANTED AN JUNCTN AGAST GALVEZ’S ORR FOR ONE OF THE NE, RETIRED LONEL JABO ESDRAS SALAN SANCHEZ. THE CREOMPAZ SE, NAMED AFTER THE REGNAL CENTER FOR UN PEACEKEEPG TRAG INSTUTE WHERE A MASS BURIAL SE FOR DISAPPEARED PERSONS WAS FOUND, NTUED FOR FORMER ARY OFFICERS DICTED 2017 ON CHARG OF FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND CRIM AGAST HUMANY DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. THE LAY ROLVG SEVERAL APPEALS AND RECAL MOTNS FILED 2016 PREVENTED THE OPENG OF A FULL TRIAL. BYRON BARRIENTOS AND CARLOS GARAVO REMAED CTODY. FORMER NGRSMAN EDGAR JTO OVALLE MALDONADO, ALSO CHARGED THE SE, REMAED HIDG AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LIFTED HIS IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN 2017. C. TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, INHUMAN, OR DEGRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT, AND OTHER RELATED AB THE LAW PROHIBS TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, HUMAN, OR GRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT, BUT THERE WERE REPORTED S OF PRISON OFFICIALS’ NEGLIGENCE THAT EXPOSED PRISONERS TO VLENCE AND GRADG NDNS. THE OFFICE OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSNER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) NOTED THAT DOCUMENTATN AND REPORTG MECHANISMS FOR TORTURE AND OTHER CEL, HUMAN, OR GRADG TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT REMAED WEAK, THEREBY HRG A FULL UNRSTANDG OF THE PREVALENCE OF THE PROBLEM. INTERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS ALSO NOTED THAT MANY OFFICIAL PLATS CED UNSAFE AND CRAMPED NDNS AT FERI MORA NATNAL HOSPAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH. MOST OF THE PLATS REMAED UNROLVED. THERE WERE NO NFIRMED REPORTS OF IMPUNY THE ARY; HOWEVER, PUBLIC PERCEPTN WAS THAT IMPUNY WH THE PNC WAS WISPREAD. THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS TO VTIGATE AB AND THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT AND AWARENS ON DISCIPLARY SANCTNS REMAED FACTORS NTRIBUTG TO IMPUNY. THE PNC APPROVED A STRATEGY N BY A HIGH-LEVEL PNC WORKG GROUP TO STRENGTHEN S STUTNAL REPUTATN WH A MPAIGN TO BAT RPTN THAT BOTH VTIGAT PNC OFFICIALS AND PUBLICIZ SUCCSFUL S OF ROOTG OUT RPT OFFICERS. AS OF AUGT, THE PNC HAD ARRTED 50 PERCENT MORE OFFICERS THAN THE PREV YEAR FOR RECEIVG BENEFS, ABE OF THORY, AND THEFT. THE PNC REMOVED DOZENS OF OFFICERS FOR VAR DISCIPLARY REASONS, CLUDG BRIBERY ALLEGATNS. THE PNC UTILIZ THREE MECHANISMS TO INTIFY AND VTIGATE AB: AN ANONYMO TIP LE G A LANDLE TELEPHONE NUMBER, A TIP LE TO RECEIVE PLATS G A MSAGG APPLITN, AND -PERSON PLATS. THE PNC INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISN NDUCTS SURVEILLANCE OF PNC OFFICERS AND FOLLOWS A DISCIPLARY PROCS WH AN TERNAL TRIBUNAL TO CI S. INTERNAL AFFAIRS WIRETAPS CRIMAL STCTUR FOUND TO BE WORKG WH RPT PNC OFFICERS, BUT THE UN WAS NOT THORIZED TO VTIGATE CRIMAL STCTUR WH THE PNC. THE ERNMENT’S MA MECHANISM TO RID THE PNC OF RPTN IS TO REMOVE PNC OFFICERS SPECTED OF THE AB, OFTEN WHOUT VTIGATN OR TRIAL. THE PNC HAS A UN VOTED TO CRIMAL VTIGATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS VLATNS, FUND BY DONOR UNTRI, BUT THE UN LACKED POLIL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT. PRISON AND DETENTN CENTER CONDNS PRISON NDNS WERE HARSH AND ULD BE LIFE THREATENG, WH MULTIPLE STANC OF MAT KILLG OTHER MAT. SEXUAL ASSLT, AQUATE SANATN, POOR MEDIL RE, AND SEVERE OVERCROWDG PLACED PRISONERS AT SIGNIFINT RISK. ABIVE PHYSIL CONDNS: PRISON OVERCROWDG WAS A PROBLEM. AS OF SEPTEMBER, ACRDG TO PRISON THORI, THERE WERE 21,752 MALE MAT HELD FACILI SIGNED TO HOLD 7,045 PERSONS, AND 2,764 FEMALE MAT FACILI SIGNED TO HOLD 937 PERSONS. THERE WERE 518 JUVENILE MAT FOUR TRADNAL TENTN CENTERS AND THE HALFWAY HOE, WHICH WERE SIGNED FOR A TOTAL OF 557 MAT. DPE A RCTN OVERCROWDG, THERE WERE STILL 190 MAT THE CENTRO JUVENIL PRIVACIóN LIBERTAD PARA VARON JUVENILE TENTN FACILY, SIGNED FOR 155 DIVIDUALS. PHYSIL NDNS CLUDG SANATN FACILI, MEDIL RE, VENTILATN, TEMPERATURE NTROL, AND LIGHTG, WERE OFTEN AQUATE. PRISONERS HAD DIFFICULTY OBTAG POTABLE WATER, PLAED OF AQUATE FOOD, AND OFTEN HAD TO PAY FOR ADDNAL FOOD. ILLEGAL DG SAL AND E WERE WISPREAD. PRISON OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED SAFETY AND NTROL PROBLEMS, CLUDG PE ATTEMPTS, GANG FIGHTS, ABILY TO NTROL THE FLOW OF NTRABAND GOODS TO PRISONS, MATE POSSSN OF FIREARMS AND GRENAS, AND THE FABRITN OF WEAPONS. PRISONERS NDUCTED CRIMAL ACTIVY BOTH SI AND OUTSI OF PRISONS. MEDIA REPORTED THAT TRANSNATNAL CRIMAL GANGS AND DG TRAFFICKG GROUPS NTROLLED MAJOR PRISONS. IN MAY THORI TRANSFERRED 76 MAT, NEARLY ALL OF WHOM WERE GANG MEMBERS, OM THREE DIFFERENT PRISONS TO THE FRAIJAN II PRISON ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GUATEMALA CY. ALTHOUGH THE LEARS OF ONE GANG WERE TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER FACILY AND SEPARATED OM ONE ANOTHER, THE NTUATN OF GANG-RELATED AND ORDATED KILLGS FRAIJAN II SUGGTED GANG MEMBERS WERE STILL ABLE TO MUNITE ACROSS PRISONS AND ANIZE KILLGS. IN SEPTEMBER MEDIA REPORTED THAT FOUR PRISONERS, ALL OF THEM MEMBERS OF THE SAME PRISON GANG, DIED OF POISONG BY PTICI DURG A ROUTE LUNCH SERVICE WHAT ANALYSTS STATED WERE MOST LIKELY TARGETED KILLGS BY A RIVAL GANG. MEDIA AND NONERNMENTAL ANIZATNS (NGOS) REPORTED WOMEN MAT FACED PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE. WOMEN MAT REPORTED UNNECSARY BODY SEARCH AND VERBAL ABE BY PRISON GUARDS. CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN AGE FOUR ULD LIVE PRISON WH THEIR MOTHERS, BUT THE PENENTIARY SYSTEM PROVID AQUATE FOOD FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND MANY SUFFERED OM ILLNS. LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENR, QUEER, AND TERSEX (LGBTQI+) RIGHTS GROUPS STATED THAT OTHER PRISONERS OFTEN SEXUALLY ASSLTED LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, AND THERE WERE SUFFICIENT FACILI TO PROTECT LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS CTODY. NGOS CLAIMED ADMTANCE PROCR FOR LGBTQI+ PRISONERS WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED, NOTG PARTICULAR NCERN REGARDG PROCR FOR TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS. ADMISTRATN: WHILE THE LAW ALLOWS PRISONERS AND TAE TO SUBM PLATS TO JUDICIAL THORI WHOUT CENSORSHIP AND TO REQUT VTIGATN OF CREDIBLE ALLEGATNS OF HUMAN NDNS, THORI FAILED TO VTIGATE MOST ALLEGATNS OR TO DOCUMENT THE RULTS OF SUCH VTIGATNS. REPORTS OM MAT DITED THAT PLATS WERE RARELY SUBMTED BEE RRECTNS OFFICIALS THREATENED THE MAT IF THE MAT ATTEMPTED TO SUBM A PLAT. INPENNT MONORG: THE ERNMENT PERMTED VISS BY LOL AND TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT, PUBLIC FENRS, AND RELIG GROUPS. THE OFFICE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN (PDH) AND THE NATNAL OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTN OF TORTURE, BOTH PENNT ERNMENT BODI RPONSIBLE FOR ENSURG THE RIGHTS AND WELL-BEG OF PRISONERS, ALSO PERDILLY VISED PRISON FACILI. D. ARBRARY ARRT OR DETENTN THE LAW PROHIBS ARBRARY ARRT AND TENTN, BUT THERE WERE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF POLILLY MOTIVATED ARRTS AND LIBERATE NIAL OF TIMELY ACCS TO A MAGISTRATE AND HEARG AS REQUIRED BY LAW. SPECTS ARE ENTLED TO CHALLENGE URT THE LEGAL BASIS OR ARBRARY NATURE OF THEIR TENTN. THERE WAS NO PENSATN FOR THOSE FOUND TO BE UNLAWFULLY TAED. ARRT PROCR AND TREATMENT OF DETAE THE LAW REQUIR PRENTATN OF A URT-ISSUED WARRANT TO A SPECT PRR TO ARRT UNLS POLICE APPREHEND A SPECT THE ACT OF MTG A CRIME. UNR THE LAW, POLICE MAY NOT TA A SPECT FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS WHOUT BRGG THE SE BEFORE A JUDGE. AUTHORI DID NOT REGULARLY RPECT THIS RIGHT. AFTER ARRAIGNG SPECTS, THE PROSECUTOR GENERALLY HAS THREE MONTHS TO PLETE THE VTIGATN IF THE FENDANT IS PRETRIAL TENTN AND SIX MONTHS TO PLETE THE VTIGATN IF THE FENDANT IS GRANTED HOE ARRT. THE LAW PROHIBS THE EXECUTN OF WARRANTS BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND 6 A.M. UNLS THE ERNMENT HAS CLARED A STATE OF SIEGE. JUDG MAY ORR HOE ARRT FOR SOME SPECTS. THE LAW PROVIS FOR ACCS TO LAWYERS AND BAIL FOR MOST CRIM. THE ERNMENT PROVIS LEGAL REPRENTATN FOR DIGENT TAE, AND TAE HAVE ACCS TO FAY MEMBERS. A JUDGE HAS THE DISCRETN TO TERME WHETHER BAIL IS PERMISSIBLE FOR PRETRIAL TAE. ARBRARY ARRT: AS OF AUGT 31, THE PNC OFFICE OF PROFSNAL RPONSIBILY HAD RECEIVED 12 PLATS OF ILLEGAL TENTN BY POLICE, PARED WH 48 2021. REPORTS DITED POLICE SOMETIM IGNORED WRS OF HABEAS RP S OF ILLEGAL TENTN, PARTICULARLY DURG NEIGHBORHOOD ANTIGANG OPERATNS. THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL, OR EVEN LEGAL, TENTNS WAS DIFFICULT TO TERME, AS MANY LSER ARRTS END WH THE TAE BRIBG POLICE TO RELEASE THEM, EVEN AFTER BEG TAED. THE TENTN OF SEVEN PROSECUTORS AND FORMER PROSECUTORS OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTN’S OFFICE AGAST IMPUNY (FECI) AND THE ANTIRPTN PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, AND OF ONE FENSE LAWYER WHO REPRENTED ONE OF THE PROSECUTORS, TARGETED PROSECUTORS WHO VTIGATED HIGH-LEVEL S OF ERNMENT RPTN. AS ONE EXAMPLE, FEBARY AND MARCH, THE PUBLIC MISTRY ARRTED NUMERO ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS, SEVERAL OF WHOM HAD THEIR ARRAIGNMENT HEARGS LAYED FOR DAYS OR WEEKS WHILE PRETRIAL TENTN AND THE ALLEGED EVINCE AGAST THEM KEPT UNR SEAL. AT THE SAME TIME, RMATN ABOUT THE HANDLG OF THEIR S WAS LEAKED THROUGH THIRD-PARTY SOCIAL MEDIA “CENTERS” TO THREATEN AND TIMIDATE. POLICE ARRTED VIRGIA LAPARRA, FORMER CHIEF ANTIRPTN PROSECUTOR QUETZALTENANGO, FEBARY FOR ALLEGED CRIM RELATED TO HER FILG AN ADMISTRATIVE PLAT AGAST A JUDGE FOR LEAKG NFINTIAL RMATN OM A SE. LAPARRA WAS DICTED MARCH AND REMAED PRETRIAL TENTN SPE APPEALS AND REQUTS TO BE ALLOWED TO AWA HER TRIAL UNR HOE ARRT. IN DECEMBER LAPARRA WAS NVICTED AND SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS PRISON. DOMTIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTIRPTN ACTIVISTS CED THIS ARRT AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PUBLIC MISTRY’S PATTERN OF HARASSG ANTIRPTN ADVOT, AND AMNTY INTERNATNAL CLARED LAPARRA A “PRISONER OF NSCIENCE.” PRETRIAL DETENTN: LENGTHY PRETRIAL TENTN WAS A PROBLEM. AS OF SEPTEMBER 13, PRISON SYSTEM RERDS DITED 48 PERCENT OF PRISONERS WERE PRETRIAL TENTN, SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN 2021. THE LAW TABLISH A ONE-YEAR MAXIMUM FOR PRETRIAL TENTN, REGARDLS OF THE STAGE OF THE CRIMAL PROCEEDG, BUT THE URT HAS THE LEGAL THORY TO EXTEND PRETRIAL TENTN WHOUT LIMS AS NECSARY. AUTHORI REGULARLY HELD TAE PAST THEIR LEGAL TRIAL-OR-RELEASE DATE. LENGTHY VTIGATNS AND EQUENT PROCRAL MOTNS BY BOTH FENSE AND PROSECUTN OFTEN LED TO LENGTHY PRETRIAL TENTN, LAYG TRIALS FOR MONTHS OR YEARS. FORMER PRINT OTTO PEREZ MOLA WAS PRETRIAL TENTN OM 2015 DUE TO DICTMENTS RPTN S KNOWN AS “THE LE” AND “CO-OPTATN OF THE STATE” UNTIL HIS DECEMBER 2022 NVICTN. PEREZ MOLA AND FORMER VICE PRINT ROXANA BALTTI WERE NVICTED AND SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS PRISON. OBSERVERS NOTED THE SLOW PACE OF VTIGATNS AND LACK OF JUDICIAL ROURC HAMPERED EFFORTS TO RCE PRETRIAL TENTN AND ILLEGAL RCERATN. AUTHORI DID NOT RELEASE SOME PRISONERS EVEN AFTER THE PRISONERS PLETED THEIR FULL SENTENC DUE TO THE FAILUR OF JUDG TO ISSUE THE NECSARY URT ORR OR OTHER BURECRATIC LAYS. E. DENIAL OF FAIR PUBLIC TRIAL THE LAW PROVIS FOR AN PENNT JUDICIARY. THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERALLY FAILED TO PROVI FAIR OR TIMELY TRIALS DUE TO EFFICIENCY, RPTN, AND TIMIDATN OF JUDG. THE PUBLIC MISTRY, HOWEVER, RAPIDLY OBTAED WARRANTS FOR THE ARRT OF FORMER AND CURRENT ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS, JT DAYS AFTER RECEIVG LEGAL PLATS AGAST THEM. SOME OF THE PLATS WERE FILED BY DIVIDUALS AND ANIZATNS WH A HISTORY OF THREATENG JTICE OFFICIALS. JUDG LAYED PROCEEDGS SO THAT THOSE SAME ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS WERE HELD PRETRIAL TENTN BEYOND WHAT THE LAW ALLOWS. CIVIL SOCIETY REPRENTATIV CED THE ACTNS AS EVINCE OF NSISTENT APPLITN OF LEGAL PROCEEDGS AND POLIL MANIPULATN OF THE JTICE SYSTEM. PLATIFFS, WNS, JUDG, AND PROSECUTORS, CLUDG JUDG OM THE HIGH-RISK COURT AND PROSECUTORS OM THE FECI, NTUED TO REPORT THREATS, TIMIDATN, AND SURVEILLANCE (SEE SECTN 5 FOR EXAMPL). ON JULY 7, NGRS APPROVED A CREE LAW ON CONSTUTNAL COURT MEMBERSHIP, WHICH NFIRMED THE APPOTMENT OF HECTOR HUGO PEREZ AGUILERA STEAD OF THE ORIGALLY ELECTED GLORIA PORRAS, THEREBY MAKG PERMANENT THE REMOVAL OF PORRAS, A TRANSPARENTLY ELECTED URT MAGISTRATE. PORRAS PARTED THE UNTRY APRIL 2021 AND REMAED ABROAD AS OF OCTOBER 2022. THE SELECTN PROCS FOR THE ELECTN BY NGRS OF 13 SUPREME COURT AND 135 APPELLATE URT MAGISTRAT NTUED LARGELY UNROLVED. THE STG SUPREME COURT AND 269 APPELLATE URT JUDG REMAED THEIR POSNS. IN 2019 THE CONSTUTNAL COURT HALTED THE SELECTN PROCS FOR SUPREME COURT AND APPELLATE URT MAGISTRAT, LG THAT FORMAL EVALUATN PROCR WERE NOT FOLLOWED WH THE SELECTN MTE AFTER A PROCS THAT SUFFERED WISPREAD MANIPULATN OF SELECTN MTE BY POLICIANS, JUDICIAL OFFICIALS, AND OTHER FLUENTIAL CIZENS. IN FEBARY 2020 PUBLIC MISTRY VTIGATNS FOUND THAT WHILE PRISON ON RPTN CHARG, GTAVO ALEJOS, CHIEF OF STAFF UNR THEN PRINT ALVARO COLOM, ACCEPTED AT LEAST 20 VISS OM OFFICIALS ASSOCIATED WH THE SELECTN PROCS HIS HOSPAL WARD THE DAYS BEFORE THE SELECTN MTE PROVID THEIR LISTS. THE CONSTUTNAL COURT ISSUED A FAL LG MAY 2020 REQUIRG REMOVAL OF NDIDAT ASSOCIATED WH GTAVO ALEJOS AND A VOICE VOTE FOR EACH POSN NGRS, BUT AS OF SEPTEMBER, NGRS HAD NOT PLIED WH THE LG. THE CURRENT MAGISTRAT WERE TO NTUE FOR THE THIRD NSECUTIVE YEAR THE POSNS UNTIL A NEW URT WAS ELECTED. TRIAL PROCR THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR THE RIGHT TO A FAIR AND PUBLIC TRIAL, AND THE JUDICIARY GENERALLY ENFORCED THIS RIGHT, BUT AT TIM, CRIMAL FENDANTS WERE NIED THE RIGHT TO A FAIR, TIMELY, AND PUBLIC TRIAL. INTERNATNAL AND DOMTIC OBSERVERS NSIRED THE NUMBER OF JUDG SUFFICIENT. LACK OF PERSONNEL, TRAG, AND EVINCE HAMPERED PUBLIC MISTRY PROSECUTORS’ ABILY TO BRG S TO TRIAL. POLIL PRISONERS AND DETAE THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF POLIL PRISONERS OR TAE. TRANSNATNAL REPRSN THE PUBLIC MISTRY REPORTEDLY IATED LEGAL PROCEEDGS GUATEMALA AGAST FORMER HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS WHO WERE LOTED OUTSI OF GUATEMALA, CLUDG FORMER FECI HEAD PROSECUTOR JUAN FRANCIS SANDOVAL AND FELLOW PROSECUTORS, TO HARASS AND REPRS THOSE FORMER OFFICIALS. THREATS, HARASSMENT, SURVEILLANCE, AND COERCN: FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL THELMA ALDANA AND HER HBAND, AN APPELLATE URT MAGISTRATE, WERE UNR VTIGATN FOR MONEY LNRG A SE THAT ANTIRPTN ANIZATNS CHARACTERIZED AS POLILLY MOTIVATED. THELMA ALDANA LEFT GUATEMALA 2019 AFTER THORI ISSUED AN ARRT WARRANT FOR HER. ALDANA HAD OPERATED AND WORKED CLOSELY WH THE UN-BACKED INTERNATNAL COMMISSN AGAST CORPTN GUATEMALA DURG HER TERM AS ATTORNEY GENERAL 2014-18. FRIENDS, FAY, AND ASSOCIAT OF SANDOVAL AND ALDANA WHO REMAED THE UNTRY, ACRDG TO REPORTS, SUFFERED OM HARASSMENT SIGNED TO EXERT PRSURE ON THOSE DIVIDUALS (SEE SECTN 1.F.). MISE OF INTERNATNAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS: THE PUBLIC MISTRY ANNOUNCED DECEMBER THAT THEY HAD IATED EXTRADN REQUTS FOR SANDOVAL AND FOR ALDANA; OBSERVERS NSIRED THAT THE REQUTS WERE POLILLY MOTIVATED. CIVIL JUDICIAL PROCR AND REMEDI INDIVIDUALS AND ANIZATNS HAVE ACCS TO ADMISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL REMEDI TO SUBM LAWSUS SEEKG DAMAG FOR, OR CSATN OF, A HUMAN RIGHTS VLATN OR OTHER ALLEGED WRONGS. THE JUDICIARY SUFFERED OM EFFICIENCI AND A LEGAL SYSTEM THAT OFTEN PERMTED SPUR PLATS. IN ONE SUCH EXAMPLE, THE SUPREME COURT LIFTED HIGH-RISK COURT JUDGE PABLO XIMUL’S IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN AND SPEND HIM FOR ABE OF THORY AGAST A PATROL OFFICER WHO TAED XIMUL AT A TRAFFIC STOP AFTER THE OFFICER LODGED A PLAT AGAST HIM. XIMUL WAS THE JUDGE RPONSIBLE FOR LG ON SEVERAL EMBLEMATIC S OF ARY TERNAL ARMED NFLICT-ERA HUMAN RIGHTS AB AND RPTN. CIVIC JUDICIAL TEGRY ASSOCIATNS NSIRED THE LIFTG OF HIS IMMUNY OVER A MOR CINT TO BE POLILLY MOTIVATED. PROPERTY SEIZURE AND RTUTN NEGOTIATNS BETWEEN THE ERNMENT AND FAI AFFECTED BY THE NSTCTN OF THE CHIXOY HYDROELECTRIC DAM NTUED BUT WERE CHARACTERIZED BY OBSERVER NGOS AS BEG NDUCTED BAD FAH. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE ERNMENT HAD PAID APPROXIMATELY 99 PERCENT OF THE 200 LN QUETZALS ($26 LN) DIVIDUAL REPARATNS TO FAI AFFECTED BY THE DAM. FIFTEEN S OF REPARATNS REMAED UNROLVED. NO PROGRS WAS MA THE LLECTIVE REPARATNS, CLUDG FULFILLMENT OF ERNMENT MMENTS TO MUNY PROJECTS AND TNAL AND VELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS. DURG THE DAM’S NSTCTN OM 1975-85, MORE THAN 400 DIVIDUALS DIED, AND THOANDS WERE DISPLACED. F. ARBRARY OR UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE WH PRIVACY, FAY, HOME, OR CORRPONNCE THE LAW PROHIBS SUCH ACTNS, AND THE ERNMENT SOMETIM RPECTED THE PROHIBNS, BUT THERE WERE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF HARASSMENT OF THE FAI OF CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICIALS (SEE SECTN 1.E. FOR EXAMPL). LEARS OF A PROFSNAL ASSOCIATN WH FLUENCE ON ERNMENT NDIDATE MISSNS (ERNMENT-N MISSNS THAT HAVE THE RPONSIBILY FOR SELECTG NDIDAT FOR PUBLIC POSNS) REPORTED RECEIVG PHOTOGRAPHS OM ANONYMO DIVIDUALS, MONSTRATG TO THE LEARS THAT THEY WERE BEG SURVEILLED THEIR HOM AND WHILE PUBLIC. THE LEARS CLAIMED THE GOAL OF THIS SURVEILLANCE WAS TO TIMIDATE THEM TO NOT REPORTG ON RPTN ASSOCIATED WH ERNMENT NDIDATE MISSNS AND PROFSNAL ASSOCIATNS. SECTN 2. RPECT FOR CIVIL LIBERTI A. FREEDOM OF EXPRSN, INCLUDG FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA THE LAW PROVIS FOR EEDOM OF EXPRSN, CLUDG FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA, BUT THE ERNMENT DID NOT ALWAYS RPECT THIS RIGHT. INTIMIDATN OF JOURNALISTS CREASED DURG THE YEAR AND RULTED SIGNIFINT SELF-CENSORSHIP. VLENCE AND HARASSMENT: INPENNT MEDIA WERE ACTIVE AND EXPRSED A WI VARIETY OF VIEWS. NOHELS, REPORTERS VERG ANIZED CRIME, CLUDG S LKS TO RPT PUBLIC OFFICIALS, ACKNOWLEDGED PRACTICG SELF-CENSORSHIP DUE TO THE DANGER THAT VTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CREATED FOR THEM AND THEIR FAI. MANY JOURNALISTS REPORTED BEG HARASSED, PROSECUTED, OR HAVG TO FLEE THE UNTRY AFTER PUBLISHG WORK THAT WAS CRIL OF FLUENTIAL CIZENS. MEMBERS OF THE PRS REPORTED RECEIVG PRSURE, THREATS, AND RETRIBUTN OM PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CRIMAL ANIZATNS REGARDG THE NTENT OF THEIR REPORTG. ONLE ATTACKS AGAST PENNT JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA OUTLETS NTUED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE CLUD HACKG JOURNALISTS’ PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, PUBLISHG STOLEN OR FALSIFIED PERSONAL RMATN, AND NDUCTG APPARENTLY ORDATED ATTEMPTS TO UNRME SPECIFIC JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA. DURG THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THE JOURNALISTS OBSERVATORY OF THE ASSOCIATN OF JOURNALISTS OF GUATEMALA REGISTERED 66 AB OF EEDOM OF EXPRSN, CLUDG VLENCE AND RTRICTNS AGAST JOURNALISTS. THE UN FOR THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENRS – GUATEMALA (UDEFEGUA) REGISTERED 51 ATTACKS AGAST JOURNALISTS AND MUNITORS DURG THE SAME PERD. OBSERVERS AND PUBLIC PLATS NOTED CREASED ACTIVY BY CENTERS, WHICH WERE LLECTNS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS ANIZED TO APPEAR AS PENNT DIVIDUAL ERS BUT WERE FACT CENTRALLY NTROLLED. GOALS OF CENTERS WERE TO MANIPULATE DISCSNS, SPREAD MISRMATN, AND THREATEN PERSONS ON THE TER. NETCENTERS CREATED FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, CLUDG ON TWTER AND FACEBOOK, TO CRICIZE AND FAME JOURNALISTS, JUDG, PROSECUTORS, AND CIZENS WHO REPORT ON RPTN. ATTACKS G OM CENTERS WERE CCIAL THE TIMIDATN OF JOURNALISTS REPORTG ON RPTN. IN ONE EXAMPLE OF HARASSMENT, AN ARRT WARRANT WAS ISSUED ON JANUARY 14 AGAST JOURNALIST CARLOS CHOC OF THE NEWSPAPER PRENSA COMUNARIA IZABAL FOR SUPPOSEDLY STIGATG VLENCE AND PHYSILLY ATTACKG 13 POLICE OFFICERS DURG A PROTT AGAST THE NICKEL ME EL ESTOR, IZABAL, 2021. CHOC REPORTED ON THE ALLEGED E OF TEAR GAS BY POLICE THAT PROTT. CHOC ALSO ACCED SOLWAY INVTMENT GROUP, THE OWNERS OF THE ME, OF OPERATG ILLEGALLY, DAMAGG THE ENVIRONMENT, AND VLATG THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENO PEOPL. ON SEPTEMBER 13, A JUDGE DROPPED THE CHARG AGAST CHOC. ON JULY 29, POLICE ARRTED JOSE RUBEN ZAMORA, THE PRINT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER EL PERDI, ON CHARG OF MONEY LNRG, FLUENCE PEDDLG, AND EXTORTN. JUDGE FREDY ORELLANA DICTED ZAMORA ON AUGT 9 AND REMAND HIM TO PRETRIAL TENTN UNTIL HIS DECEMBER 8 PRELIMARY TRIAL HEARG. THE PUBLIC MISTRY OZE EL PERDI’S BANK ACUNTS ON AUGT 1. IN OCTOBER THE PUBLIC MISTRY LIFTED THE EEZE ON SOME ACUNTS AFTER FDG NO EVINCE OF WRONGDOG BY THE NEWSPAPER, WHILE MATAG THE EEZE ON OTHER ACUNTS. ON AUGT 19, THE PUBLIC MISTRY AND PNC AGENTS ARRTED FLORA SILVA, EL PERDI’S FANCIAL MANAGER, AFTER A SIX-HOUR RAID ON HER RINCE, WHOUT NOTIFYG HER OF THE CHARG AGAST HER. THE PUBLIC MISTRY LATER ISSUED A PRS RELEASE ALLEGG THAT SILVA NSPIRED WH ZAMORA TO LNR MONEY. ACRDG TO THE WASHGTON OFFICE ON LAT AMERI, AN NGO WH A FOC ON LAT AMERIN RPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS, MAYAN JOURNALISTS WERE SUBJECT TO HARASSMENT AND CRIMAL PROSECUTN THE INDIGENO TERRORI OF THE UNTRY. POLICE RAID THE HO OF INDIGENO JOURNALISTS CARLOS CHOC, BDIL CHOC, AND JUAN BTISTA XOL AFTER THOSE JOURNALISTS REPORTED ON POLICE REPRSN OF INDIGENO MUNI OPPOSED TO THE PRENCE OF M THEIR TERRORI. CENSORSHIP OR CONTENT RTRICTNS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRS AND OTHER MEDIA, INCLUDG ONLE MEDIA: SOME PANI CREASED THEIR MEDIA ADVERTISG TO EXERT PRSURE ON MEDIA AGAST REPORTG RPTN, RULTG MEDIA OUTLETS BEG LS PENNT. NONERNMENTAL IMPACT: ORGANIZED CRIME EXERTED FLUENCE OVER MEDIA OUTLETS AND REPORTERS BY EQUENTLY THREATENG DIVIDUALS FOR REPORTG ON CRIMAL ACTIVI. INTER FREEDOM THE ERNMENT DID NOT RTRICT OR DISPT ACCS TO THE TER OR CENSOR ONLE NTENT, AND THERE WERE NO CREDIBLE REPORTS THAT THE ERNMENT MONORED PRIVATE ONLE MUNITNS WHOUT APPROPRIATE LEGAL THORY. HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, JOURNALISTS, AS WELL AS JUDG AND LAWYERS ON HIGH-PROFILE S, REPORTED SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACKS, CLUDG THE HACKG OF THEIR PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNTS, PUBLISHG OF STOLEN OR FALSIFIED PERSONAL RMATN, PUBLISHG OF PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEILLANCE OF THEM AND FAY MEMBERS, AND ONLE FAMATN AND HATE SPEECH. DURG THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, UDEFEGUA STATED THAT ONLE TROLLS WERE THE MOST MON PERPETRATORS OF ONLE AB AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, JOURNALISTS, JUDG, AND PROSECUTORS. THE ERNMENT TOOK LTLE ACTN TO PROTECT THE VICTIMS OF ONLE ATTACKS. B. FREEDOMS OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATN THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR THE EEDOMS OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATN, AND THE ERNMENT GENERALLY RPECTED THE RIGHTS. IN 2021 A LAW WENT TO EFFECT REQUIRG BY FEBARY 2 THAT ALL NGOS AND FOUNDATNS REGISTER WH THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT’S OFFICIAL REGISTRY OF LEGAL PERSONS OR RISK DISSOLUTN. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATN SOME NGOS CLAIMED THE ERNMENT ED THE LAW TO CREATE LARGE, SUDN STS FOR NGOS, SUCH AS BY REQUTG SURPRISE DS. THE DS ULD ST NGOS THOANDS OF DOLLARS LEGAL AND ADMISTRATIVE FE. C. FREEDOM OF RELIGN SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S INTERNATNAL RELIG FREEDOM REPORT AT . D. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND THE RIGHT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY THE LAW PROVIS FOR EEDOM OF TERNAL MOVEMENT, FOREIGN TRAVEL, EMIGRATN, AND REPATRIATN. THE ERNMENT GENERALLY RPECTED THE RELATED RIGHTS. IN-UNTRY MOVEMENT: STAT OF SIEGE OR PREVENTN PLACED LIMS ON EEDOM OF MOVEMENT. THEREFORE, AT CERTA POTS FOR UP TO 30 DAYS, CIZENS THE AFFECTED AREAS DID NOT HAVE EE MOVEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, ON JUNE 8, PRINT GIAMMATTEI CLARED, AND NGRS APPROVED, A STATE OF SIEGE IXCHIGUAN Y TAJUMUL, SAN MARS, FOR 30 DAYS THAT IMPOSED A CURFEW OM 6 P.M. TO 6 A.M., LIMED LARGE GROUPS OF PERSONS OM GATHERG, AND SPEND SOME DUE PROCS RIGHTS AFFECTG POLICE TENTN AND TERROGATN OF PERSONS SPECTED OF DISTURBG THE PEACE. THIS STATE OF SIEGE WAS IMPOSED AFTER HIGHLY PUBLICIZED VLENCE BETWEEN GROUPS OF LOL HABANTS FIGHTG OVER TERRORIAL CLAIMS. THE STATE OF SIEGE WAS LIFTED AFTER 60 DAYS AND THE PRINT’S COMMISSN FOR DIALOGUE, THE MISTRY OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS ENTERED TALKS TO END THE VLENCE. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE NFLICT HAD NOT BEEN ROLVED. E. PROTECTN OF REFUGE THE ERNMENT OPERATED WH THE OFFICE OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSNER FOR REFUGE (UNHCR) AND OTHER TERNATNAL ANIZATNS PROVIDG PROTECTN AND HUMANARIAN ASSISTANCE TO REFUGE, RETURNG REFUGE, AND ASYLUM SEEKERS, AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONS OF NCERN. ACCS TO ASYLUM: THE LAW PROVIS FOR THE GRANTG OF ASYLUM OR REFUGEE STAT, AND THE ERNMENT TABLISHED A SYSTEM FOR RECEIVG AND ADJUDITG ASYLUM CLAIMS TO GRANT REFUGEE STAT TO QUALIFYG DIVIDUALS. INTIFITN AND REFERRAL MECHANISMS FOR POTENTIAL ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE AQUATE, AND REQUIREMENTS TO TRAVEL TO GUATEMALA CY FOR PARTS OF THE PROCS NTUED TO LIM ACCS. THERE WERE GAPS AND SHORTGS THE PROCR FOR IMPLEMENTG THE LEGAL AMEWORK. ASYLUM CLAIMS ARE PROCSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REFUGEE STAT DETERMATN OF THE GUATEMALAN MIGRATN INSTUTE. REMENDATNS ON REGNN ARE FORMULATED BY AN TERMISTERIAL PROCS, WHOSE PLEXY NTRIBUTED TO MAJOR LAYS ON FAL SE CISNS AND AN CREASED BACKLOG. ACCS TO BASIC SERVIC: DOCUMENTATN FOR REFUGE TO ACCS ERNMENT SERVIC, CLUDG HEALTH RE, WAS EXPENSIVE SOME S AND REMAED TIME-NSUMG TO PLETE. ACCS TO TN FOR REFUGE WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE UNTRY’S ONERO REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCS TO FORMAL TN, CLUDG DOCUMENTATN OM THE UNTRY OF ORIG. F. STAT AND TREATMENT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS THE ERNMENT DO NOT OFFICIALLY REGNIZE THE EXISTENCE OF TERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) WH S BORRS, EXCEPT FOR THOSE DISPLACED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL DISASTERS. ORGANIZATNS THAT MONOR AND SUPPORT IDPS STATED THIS LACK OF REGNN STIFLED EFFORTS TO MANAGE AND ADDRS THE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS WH THE UNTRY DISPLACED DUE TO VLENCE, AMONG OTHER FACTORS, BEE OFFICIAL STATISTICS DID NOT EXIST FOR IDPS. THE ERNMENT DITED A MORE OPEN POSTURE TO DISCSG THE ISSUE, AMED AS A MATTER OF VULNERABLE OR “AT-RISK” MUNI, BUT CRICS CLAIMED THIS FN DID NOT ADDRS THE FULL RANGE OF AND EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENT OF IDPS. WOMEN, YOUTH, AND LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS INDIGENO POPULATNS, REMAED AT HEIGHTENED RISK OF DISPLACEMENT. SECTN 3. FREEDOM TO PARTICIPATE THE POLIL PROCS THE NSTUTN PROVIS CIZENS THE ABILY TO CHOOSE THEIR ERNMENT EE AND FAIR PERDIC ELECTNS HELD BY SECRET BALLOT AND BASED ON NEARLY UNIVERSAL AND EQUAL SUFAGE FOR THOSE AGE 18 AND OLR. MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORC, POLICE, AND RCERATED DIVIDUALS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. ELECTNS AND POLIL PARTICIPATN RECENT ELECTNS: THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT AND OTHER TERNATNAL OBSERVERS FOUND SOME IRREGULARI THE ELECTORAL PROCS FOR THE LAST NATNAL ELECTNS 2019, BUT NONE WAS SIGNIFINT ENOUGH TO DISCRED THE LEGIMACY AND VALIDY OF THE ELECTNS. PRINT GIAMMATTEI AND THE ELECTED NGRSNAL PUTI TOOK OFFICE JANUARY 2020 WHOUT DISTURBANCE. THE PUBLIC MISTRY NTUED TO VTIGATE ALLEGATNS OF ILLIC MPAIGN FANCG THE 2015 ELECTNS, CLUDG A SE AGAST SANDRA TORR AND THE NATNAL UNY OF HOPE PARTY. A SUBSTUTE JUDGE HIGH-RISK COURT A GRANTED TORR HOE ARRT DURG HER PRETRIAL TENTN; AUGT 2021 A THREE-JUDGE APPELLATE PANEL GRANTED HER PERMISSN TO PARTICIPATE POLIL ACTIVI WH HER PARTY WHILE UNR HOE ARRT. IN NOVEMBER HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE CLTTE DOMGUEZ DISMISSED THE CHARG AGAST TORR, CG SUFFICIENT EVINCE. PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN AND MEMBERS OF MORY GROUPS: NO LAWS LIM PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN OR MEMBERS OF MORY GROUPS THE POLIL PROCS, AND THEY DID, TO AN EXTENT, PARTICIPATE. TRADNAL AND CULTURAL PRACTIC, DISCRIMATN, STUTNAL BIAS, AND DIFFICULTY TRAVELG TO POLLG PLAC RAL AREAS LIMED PARTICIPATN OF WOMEN AND MEMBERS OF INDIGENO GROUPS. SECTN 4. CORPTN AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY GOVERNMENT THE LAW PROVIS CRIMAL PENALTI FOR OFFICIAL RPTN, BUT SOME OFFICIALS ENGAGED RPT PRACTIC WH IMPUNY. DPE NUMERO ALLEGATNS OF RPTN ALL BRANCH OF THE ERNMENT, FEW HIGH-LEVEL S WERE VTIGATED DURG THE YEAR, AND ANTIRPTN EFFORTS WH THE JUDICIARY STALLED. PROMENT ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS WERE ARRTED, FIRED, OR REMOVED OM SIGNIFINT S, AND RPT ACTORS THREATENED PENNT JUDG BY FILG PLATS BASED ON SPUR CHARG TO STRIP THE JUDG OF IMMUNY TO PROSECUTN. BETWEEN FEBARY AND MAY, ATTORNEY GENERAL PORRAS AND THE PUBLIC MISTRY ISSUED ARRT WARRANTS FOR AT LEAST EIGHT STG AND FORMER ANTIRPTN PROSECUTORS FOR ALLEGED CRIM, CLUDG ABE OF THORY, DURG THEIR TIME AS PROSECUTORS. THE PROSECUTORS WERE HELD PROVISNAL AND PRETRIAL TENTN FOR WEEKS AND FACED MULTIPLE LAYS THEIR ARRAIGNMENT HEARGS. FOREIGN ERNMENTS AND TERNATNAL ANIZATNS NOUNCED THE ARRTS AND LLED FOR DUE PROCS AND TRANSPARENCY. SCE THE JULY 2021 FIRG OF JUAN FRANCIS SANDOVAL, THE FORMER HEAD OF THE FECI, AT LEAST 20 FECI PROSECUTORS WERE REMOVED, TRANSFERRED, OR RIGNED DUE TO FEAR OF REPRISAL. SEVERAL HAVE SCE GONE TO EXILE. THREATS AGAST PENNT JUDG WEAKENED ANTIRPTN EFFORTS. JUDG WHO PRID OVER HIGH-PROFILE CRIMAL S FACED NTUED EFFORTS TO STRIP THEM OF THEIR IMMUNY, THE LOSS OF WHICH WOULD EXPOSE THEM TO POTENTIAL PROSECUTN AND RETALIATN FOR THEIR JUDICIAL LGS. IN MARCH INTERNATNAL WOMAN OF COURAGE AWARD WNER AND FORMER HIGH-RISK COURT JUDGE ERIKA AIFAN RIGNED OM HER POST AND LEFT THE UNTRY AFTER FACG MULTIPLE THREATS TO HER IMMUNY OM PROSECUTN FILED BY RPT ACTORS. THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN AGAST CORPTN SERVED THE FUNCTN OF TRODUCG REFORMS THAT PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY, BUT LACKED THE MANDATE TO VTIGATE OR PROSECUTE RPTN S. CIVIL SOCIETY REPRENTATIV CRICIZED THE MISSN FOR A PERCEIVED LACK OF PENNCE. CORPTN: THE UN’S INTERNATNAL COMMISSN AGAST IMPUNY (CICIG) BROUGHT MANY RPTN S, BUT MANY WERE OVERTURNED DURG THE YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, CICIG HAD BLAN AIDA STALLG DAVILA REMOVED OM THE SUPREME COURT AND BROUGHT RPTN CHARG AGAST HER 2017. THE SE AGAST STALLG STEMMED OM HER ALLEGED ATTEMPTS TO PRSURE A JUDGE TO GIVE A LENIENT SENTENCE TO HER SON, OTTO MOLA STALLG, A 2017 ILLIC ASSOCIATN SE. ON JUNE 29, STALLG WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF FLUENCE PEDDLG, AND THE FECI REFED TO APPEAL THE NOT-GUILTY VERDICT. THIS WAS ONE OF MANY EXAMPL OF FECI DIRECTOR RAFAEL CURCHICHE REFG TO APPEAL CISNS THAT URTS MA DURG THE YEAR TO OVERTURN OR DISMANTLE RPTN S ORIGALLY BROUGHT BY CICIG. ON SEPTEMBER 22, THE SUPREME COURT ANNOUNCED THAT WOULD RESTALL STALLG AS A MAGISTRATE THE SUPREME COURT AFTER THE NOT-GUILTY VERDICT. IN SOME AREAS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, IMPUNY OM RPTN WAS A SIGNIFINT PROBLEM. WH THE PNC, IMPUNY WAS EVINT THE PORT, AIRPORTS, AND BORR POTS DIVISN (DIPAFRONT), WHICH VTIGATED CRIM VOLVG NATNAL BORRS, SUCH AS DG TRAFFICKG, SMUGGLG, NTRABAND, AND EVASN OF PAYG TAX BY MOVG MONEY OUTSI THE UNTRY. THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF POLICE OFFICERS ASKG FOR BRIB TO TRANSPORT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS. ALSO, PERSISTENT ALLEGATNS OF RPTN WH THE PNC, BEGNG WH THE PNC AMY’S HIRG PROCR, OFFICER PROMOTNS, AND TRANSFERS TO FAVORABLE POSNS, AFFECTED THE CREDIBILY OF THE AMY AND THE PNC OVERALL. PNC OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY ED CHECK POTS TO ASK FOR BRIB OM CIZENS TO RELEASE THEM OM CTODY; IF THE CIZEN HAD NO SH, SOME POLICE OFFICERS TOOK THEM TO AN TOMATED TELLER MACHE TO LLECT THE BRIBE. THERE WAS IMPUNY OF HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS OM DISCIPLARY OR CRIMAL PROSECUTN. IN SEVERAL STANC, WHEN PNC OR PUBLIC MISTRY VTIGATORS OPENED A SE AGAST HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS, THE VTIGATORS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED OR TRANSFERRED. FIVE PNC AGENTS WERE VOLVED THE DG TRAFFICKG ANIZATN KNOWN AS “LOS CARDAMOMEROS” OPERATG ALTA VERAPAZ, GUATEMALA, CHIMALTENANGO, AND ESCUTLA. IN SEPTEMBER POLICE ANNOUNCED THEY DISMANTLED THE GANG WHICH THE PNC AGENTS WERE OPERATG AND ARRTED THE FIVE PNC AGENTS, ALONG WH SIX CIVILIANS, WHO ARE ALL AWAG TRIAL ON CHARG OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY AND ILLIC ASSOCIATN, AMONG OTHER CHARG. ON APRIL 27, THE CONSTUTNAL COURT REJECTED AN EFFORT TO PROSECUTE JUDGE JOSE EDUARDO COJULUN FOR HIS ALLEGED NNECTN TO A CRIMAL STCTURE A SE KNOWN AS “FENIX.” COJULUN IS ACCED OF OBSTCTN OF JTICE FOR GIVG LENIENT LGS TO THE ALLEGED LEAR OF A CRIMAL STCTURE THAT LNRED MONEY AND STOLE PUBLIC FUNDS. THE FENIX SE IMPLITED DOZENS OF PRIVATE- AND PUBLIC-SECTOR ACTORS BASED ON A 2019 VTIGATN BY CICIG. SECTN 5. GOVERNMENTAL POSTURE TOWARDS INTERNATNAL AND NONERNMENTAL INVTIGATN OF ALLEGED AB OF HUMAN RIGHTS A VARIETY OF DOMTIC AND TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS GENERALLY OPERATED WHOUT ERNMENT RTRICTN, VTIGATG AND PUBLISHG THEIR FDGS ON HUMAN RIGHTS S. MANY OF THE GROUPS, HOWEVER, WERE THE SUBJECT OF HARASSMENT AND THREATS, AND THEY FACED PRSURE AND ATTACKS OM POLIL ACTORS. RETRIBUTN AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENRS (HRDS): SEVERAL NGOS, HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS, AND TRA UNNISTS REPORTED THREATS, VLENCE, AND TIMIDATN. AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN REPORTED FOUR KILLGS OF HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS (SEE SECTN 1.A.), WHILE UDEFEGUA REPORTED 589 THREATENG MSAG AND OTHER HARASSMENT, CLUDG SOME STANC OF VLENCE AND THREATS OF VLENCE, AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS OM JANUARY TO JUNE, PARED WH 551 ATTACKS THE SAME PERD 2021. MORE THAN HALF THE ATTACKS THEY REPORTED WERE AGAST PROSECUTORS AND FENSE LAWYERS. NGOS ASSERTED THE ERNMENT DID LTLE TO VTIGATE THE REPORTS OR PREVENT FURTHER CINTS. ON FEBARY 14, POLICE ARRTED DAVID MAXENA ON CHARG OF MAKG THREATS OF VLENCE AND ILLEGALLY OCCUPYG LAND. MAXENA WAS A MAYAN POQOMCHI MUNY ANIZER AND LEAR THE VERAPAZ UNN OF PEASANT ORGANIZATNS (UVOC). HE LED PROTTS ON THE DISPLACEMENT OF INDIGENO PEOPL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE SANTA TERA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT TUCU, ALTA VERAPAZ. ACRDG TO AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, THE SE AGAST MAXENA HAD IRREGULARI SUCH AS A LONG PRETRIAL TENTN PERD (SEVEN MONTHS AS OF SEPTEMBER), A LACK OF IAL NOTIFITN OF THE CHARG BROUGHT AGAST HIM, AND HIS TRANSFER TO AREAS OF PRISON THAT WERE NOT ED FOR PRETRIAL PRISONERS. AFTER MAXENA SPENT SEVEN MONTHS PRETRIAL TENTN, A JUDGE ACQUTED MAXENA OF ALL CHARG OCTOBER. NGOS REPORTED THE ERNMENT, POLIL GROUPS, AND PRIVATE ENTI ED THREATS OF LEGAL ACTN AS A FORM OF TIMIDATN. ACRDG TO UDEFEGUA, OM JANUARY TO JUNE THERE WERE AT LEAST 70 NEW JUDICIAL S FILED AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, PARED WH 26 FOR THE SAME PERD 2021. MEMBERS OF THE FOUNDATN AGAST TERRORISM (FCT), AN NGO KNOWN TO TARGET ANTIRPTN AND HUMAN RIGHTS FENRS, FILED BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMAL PLATS AGAST HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS AND NGOS THAT SOUGHT TO CREATE ERNMENT ACUNTABILY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AB DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. HIGH RISK COURT JUDGE MIGUEL ANGEL GALVEZ RECEIVED AN CREASG NUMBER OF THREATS FOLLOWG HIS ASSIGNMENT TO THE LANDMARK TERNAL ARMED NFLICT-ERA HUMAN RIGHTS ABE SE KNOWN AS DIAR MILAR, WHICH LED HIM TO LEAVE THE UNTRY ON NOVEMBER 4 AND RIGN OM THE URT. THE SE IMPLITED FORMER ARY MEMBERS S OF FORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND TORTURE DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT (SEE SECTN 1.B.). THE ALLEGED ATTACKS ON GALVEZ CREASED AFTER THE ARRT OF TORIB ACEVEDO RAMIREZ, A FORMER ARY MEMBER, FOR RAMIREZ’S ALLEGED PARTICIPATN THE CRIM. THE FCT SUBMTED LEGAL PLATS AGAST GALVEZ AND ATTACKED GALVEZ ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE SUPREME COURT VTIGATED ONE PLAT FILED BY THE FCT MAY, TAKG UP THE PLAT AGAST GALVEZ ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER WAS FILED, AND THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAS DITED S TENTN TO SEEK GALVEZ’S EXTRADN OM EXILE (SEE SECTN 1.E.). ACRDG TO HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS, THE PLAT ULD POTENTIALLY STRIP GALVEZ OF IMMUNY AND RAIL THE DIAR MILAR SE. GOVERNMENT HUMAN RIGHTS BODI: THE PDH MONORS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SET FORTH THE NSTUTN AND REPORTS TO NGRS. NGOS GENERALLY NSIRED THE PDH TO BE AN EFFECTIVE STUTN UNR DIRECTOR JORDAN RODAS, ALTHOUGH WH LIMATNS RAL AREAS. ON AUGT 20, A NEW DIRECTOR, JOSE ALEJANDRO CORDOVA HERRERA, TOOK OFFICE. THE CONGRSNAL COMMTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS DRAFTS AND PROVIS GUIDANCE ON LEGISLATN REGARDG HUMAN RIGHTS. THE LAW REQUIR THAT ALL POLIL PARTI REPRENTED NGRS HAVE A REPRENTATIVE ON THE MTEE. SOME NGOS DID NOT NSIR THE MTEE TO BE AN EFFECTIVE FOM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTN AND PROTECTN. THE SECRETARIAT AGAST SEXUAL VLENCE, EXPLOATN, AND TRAFFICKG PERSONS IS A ERNMENT BODY UNR THE THORY OF THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRINT. THE SECRETARIAT MONORS AND RMS VULNERABLE POPULATNS AND ERNMENT ENTI ON SEXUAL VLENCE, EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN, AND TRAFFICKG PERSONS. THE SECRETARIAT REPORTED NGRS WHHELD SOME OF S FUNDS BY EXERCISG LE-EM APPROVAL FOR ALL S PROJECTS. IN 2020 PRINT GIAMMATTEI ANNOUNCED THE CREATN OF THE PRINTIAL COMMISSN FOR PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS TO REPLACE AND UNIFY THREE STUTNS: THE PRINT’S COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS, THE SECRETARIAT FOR PEACE, AND THE SECRETARIAT OF AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS. THE NEW MISSN’S MANDATE WAS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY, REPRENT THE UNTRY TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS FOMS, ENACT TERNATNAL REMENDATNS ON HUMAN RIGHTS, AND OVERSEE THE CHIXOY REPARATNS, AMONG OTHER RPONSIBILI. CIVIL SOCIETY EXPRSED NCERN THAT DISSOLVG THE THREE ORIGAL STUTNS WOULD LEAD TO A LACK OF MECHANISMS FOR ENACTG THE REMENDATNS OF TERNATNAL FOMS AND FOR PROTECTG HUMAN RIGHTS. THE NATNAL REPARATNS PROGRAM DID NOT IMPLEMENT FULL REPARATN TO VICTIMS OF THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT DUE TO REGULATORY FICIENCI THAT STOPPED S OPERATNS AND THAT HAD NOT BEEN ROLVED SCE 2020. THE PROGRAM HAD MANY REQUTS FOR REPARATNS S ARCHIV BUT HAD PAID ONLY HALF OF THEM. OTHER TYP OF REPARATNS ENVISNED THE PROGRAM’S CHARTER, SUCH AS CHANG TO THE NATNAL TN CURRICULUM AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR AFFECTED MUNI, WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED MOST S. THE ERNMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT TABLISHED THE NTUED EXISTENCE OF THE NATNAL REPARATNS PROGRAM WAS SCHLED TO EXPIRE 2023. SECTN 6. DISCRIMATN AND SOCIETAL AB WOMEN RAPE AND DOMTIC VLENCE: THE LAW CRIMALIZ RAPE OF MEN OR WOMEN, CLUDG SPOAL RAPE, AND SETS PENALTI BETWEEN FIVE AND 50 YEARS PRISON. THE LAW TABLISH PENALTI FOR FEMICI AT 25 TO 50 YEARS PRISON WHOUT THE POSSIBILY OF RCG THE SENTENCE; HOWEVER, FEMICI REMAED A SIGNIFINT PROBLEM. POLICE HAD MIMAL TRAG AND PACY TO VTIGATE SEXUAL CRIM OR ASSIST SURVIVORS OF SUCH CRIM, AND THE ERNMENT DID NOT ENFORCE THE LAW EFFECTIVELY. RAPE, OTHER SEXUAL OFFENS, AND GENR-BASED VLENCE REMAED WISPREAD AND SER PROBLEMS. THE ERNMENT TOOK STEPS TO BAT FEMICI AND GENR-BASED VLENCE. THE JUDICIARY OPERATED A 24-HOUR URT GUATEMALA CY TO OFFER SERVIC RELATED TO GENR-BASED VLENCE CLUDG SEXUAL ASSLT, EXPLOATN, AND TRAFFICKG OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE JUDICIARY OPERATED SPECIALIZED URTS FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE THROUGHOUT THE UNTRY, BUT NOT EVERY PARTMENT. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MATAED A 24-HOUR VICTIM SERVICE CENTER TO PROVI MEDIL, PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND LEGAL SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS, CLUDG ISSUG RTRAG ORRS FOR THEIR IMMEDIATE PROTECTN. THE MISTRY ALSO MATAED A NATNAL ALERT SYSTEM FOR FDG DISAPPEARED WOMEN. THE PUBLIC MISTRY MATAED A PUBLIC WEBSE TLED “THE WOMEN’S OBSERVATORY,” WH STATISTICS REGARDG CRIM AGAST WOMEN AND CHILDREN. ACRDG TO THAT WEBSE, 31 PERCENT OF CRIMAL PLATS AS OF OCTOBER WERE FILED FOR CRIM AGAST WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND 44 PERCENT OF THOSE PLATS RULTED VTIGATN AND SUCCSFUL ROLUTN OF THE PLAT. GENR-BASED VLENCE, CLUDG SEXUAL AND DOMTIC VLENCE, REMAED WISPREAD AND SER. THE LAW TABLISH PENALTI OF FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS PRISON FOR GENR-BASED VLENCE, CLUDG PHYSIL, ENOMIC, AND PSYCHOLOGIL VLENCE. ON JANUARY 24, A HIGH-RISK COURT TRIBUNAL OF THREE JUDG SENTENCED FIVE FORMER IA MEMBERS TO 30 YEARS PRISON EACH FOR CRIM AGAST HUMANY FOR VOLVEMENT THE SEXUAL ASSLTS OF 36 INDIGENO ACHI WOMEN 1981-85 DURG THE TERNAL ARMED NFLICT. THE URT ALSO MANDATED THAT THE ERNMENT PROVI MOARY REPARATNS AND OTHER NCILIATORY MEASUR. THE NATNAL PROSECUTOR GENERAL, THE BET-LEVEL FERAL ERNMENT OFFICE THAT ACTED AS THE LEGAL REPRENTATIVE OF THE ERNMENT, FILED AN APPEAL TO PREVENT THE PAYOUT OF THE REPARATNS, AND AS OF YEAR’S END, THE APPEAL WAS NOT ROLVED. WOMEN WH DISABILI AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQI+ MUNY WH DISABILI REMAED AT GREATER RISK OF BEG VICTIMS OF NTUED SEXUAL VLENCE. MOST PERSONS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY WOMEN, DID NOT REPORT SUATNS OF VLENCE AND ABE BEE THE REPORTG PROCS WERE PLEX AND DISCRIMATED AGAST THEM. SEXUAL HARASSMENT: ALTHOUGH SEVERAL LAWS REFER TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT, NO SGLE LAW, CLUDG LAWS AGAST SEXUAL VLENCE, ADDRS SEXUAL HARASSMENT DIRECTLY. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB SEXUAL HARASSMENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKPLACE. HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT WAS WISPREAD. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: FORCED STERILIZATN WAS PURPORTEDLY MON FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI BUT REPORTG ON THE AB WAS RARE, ACRDG TO AN TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATN THAT TRACKS DISABILY RIGHTS. THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL REPORTS DURG THE YEAR OF ERCED ABORTN OR VOLUNTARY STERILIZATN ON THE PART OF ERNMENT THORI. CULTURAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND LGUISTIC BARRIERS HAMPERED ACCS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RE, CLUDG NTRACEPTIV, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIGENO WOMEN RAL AREAS, WHERE NTRACEPTIV WERE ALSO LEAST LIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE LOLLY. THE PREVALENCE OF MORN NTRACEPTIVE E REMAED LOW AMONG INDIGENO WOMEN PARED WH ALL OTHER WOMEN, AND A LACK OF CULTURALLY SENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE AND MATERNAL HEALTH-RE SERVICE PROVIRS TERRED SOME INDIGENO WOMEN OM ACCSG REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH-RE SERVIC. THE ERNMENT PROVID MEDIL SERVIC THROUGH THE MISTRY OF HEALTH FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VLENCE. THE SERVIC PROVID VICTIMS WH ACCS TO EMERGENCY NTRACEPTIV AND ANTIVIRAL MEDIC TO PREVENT SEXUALLY TRANSMTED DISEAS AND UNWANTED PREGNANCY RULTG OM RAPE. THE MISTRY ALSO PROVID SOME JTICE SERVIC. MANY SURVIVORS DID NOT SEEK MEDIL RE DUE TO CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS. AUTHORI WH THE JTICE SYSTEM MENTED THAT ON OCSN SOME HOSPAL CLICS DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED MEDITN STOCK TO PROTECT RAPE VICTIMS AGAST SEXUALLY TRANSMTED DISEAS OR PREGNANCY. ACRDG TO A 2020 REPORT BY THE MISTRY OF HEALTH, THE MATERNAL MORTALY RATE AMONG INDIGENO MUNI WAS 156 PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS, PARED WH THE NATNAL AVERAGE OF 108 PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS. ONE-HALF OF ALL THE MATERNAL ATHS OCCURRED FOUR PARTMENTS THE NORTHWT OF THE UNTRY (HUEHUETENANGO, SAN MARS, QUICHE, AND ALTA VERAPAZ), MOST OF THEM RAL AND DISPERSED AREAS WH HIGH RAT OF MALNUTRN, POVERTY, AND NCENTRATED POPULATNS OF INDIGENO PERSONS. FROM JANUARY TO MAY, THE MISTRY OF HEALTH REPORTED THAT AREAS WH HIGH NCENTRATNS OF INDIGENO PEOPL HAD THE HIGHT PROPORTN, NEARLY HALF, OF MATERNAL ATHS NATNWI. FACTORS SUCH AS THE LACK OF MEDIL SERVIC AVAILABLE THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE FOR SPEAKERS OF INDIGENO LANGUAG AND THE LACK OF PROVIRS AND EQUIPMENT REMOTE AREAS PLAYED A ROLE THE ATHS. ACRDG TO WORLD BANK DATA 2020, THE FERTILY RATE FOR ADOLCENTS AG 15 TO 19 WAS 64 BIRTHS PER 1,000 WOMEN. A LACK OF ACCS TO MENSTAL PRODUCTS AND THE LACK OF SEPARATE BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ BATHROOMS SOME RAL SCHOOLS NTUED TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT ADOLCENT GIRLS’ ACCS TO TN RAL AREAS OF THE UNTRY. IN MARCH THE NGRS APPROVED DECREE 22-2022, A LAW THAT CLAR MAY 19 AS THE NATNAL DAY OF THE GUATEMALAN MIDWIFE IYOM AND RATI’T AK’AL CELEBRATN OF A PROMENT INDIGENO MIDWIFE. THE CREE ALSO TABLISH AN ANNUAL CENTIVE (NOT A SALARY) FOR INDIGENO MIDWIV REGISTERED WH THE MISTRY OF HEALTH. THIS CENTIVE AIMS AT ACKNOWLEDGG THE WORK OF INDIGENO MIDWIV AND DIGNIFYG THEIR WORK TO ENSURE ACCS TO HEALTH RE FOR INDIGENO WOMEN. DISCRIMATN: THE NSTUTN TABLISH THE PRCIPLE OF GENR EQUALY, STATG THAT ALL DIVIDUALS ARE EQUAL AND HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS, AND THAT MEN AND WOMEN ENJOY THE SAME OPPORTUNI AND RPONSIBILI. DPE THIS, WOMEN, AND PARTICULARLY INDIGENO WOMEN RAL AREAS, FACED DISCRIMATN AND WERE LS LIKELY TO HOLD MANAGEMENT POSNS. THE LAW TABLISH EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN AND MEN ERNMENT OFFIC BY PROHIBG DIFFERENC PAY BASED ON “PERSONAL INTY,” BUT THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB DISCRIMATN BASED ON GENR THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THERE ARE LAWS THAT RTRICT WOMEN OM WORKG CERTA SECTORS, CLUDG JOBS EMED MORALLY APPROPRIATE. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB GENR DISCRIMATN ACCS TO CRED. THE ERNMENT DID LTLE TO ENFORCE GENR EQUALY LAWS EFFECTIVELY. THE LAW PROVIS FOR EQUALY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN DURG AND AFTER DIVORCE WH RPECT TO CHILDRE AND FANCIAL AND HOG ASSISTANCE TO THE CHILDREN’S RETAKERS, WHO ARE OFTEN WOMEN. THE PDH REPORTED THAT FAIRNS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN DIVORCE PROCEEDGS HAD IMPROVED THE LAST 20 YEARS. SYSTEMIC RACIAL OR ETHNIC VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN THERE ARE NO LAWS, POLICI, OR STATE PROGRAMS THAT SPECIFILLY NTRIBUTE TO THE RCTN OF RACISM, ACRDG TO TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS. THE NSTUTN PROVIS FOR PROTECTNS AGAST DISCRIMATN BASED ON RACE OR ETHNIC GROUP, AND THE LAW PROVIS FOR A PENALTY OF ONE TO THREE YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT AND A FE FOR ACTS OF DISCRIMATN. OTHER EFFORTS TO BAT DISCRIMATN CLUD LIGATN STCTNS OM THE PUBLIC MISTRY FOR DISCRIMATN CRIM. THE ERNMENT GENERALLY DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE LAWS AGAST DISCRIMATN. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH LACKED A ORDATED APPROACH TO ADDRS POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT NCENTRATED MALY INDIGENO AND AO-SCENDANT MUNI, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME ERNMENT PROGRAMS DIRECTED AT THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATNS. INDIGENO PEOPL THE ERNMENT’S NATNAL INSTUTE OF STATISTICS TIMATED INDIGENO PERSONS OM 24 ETHNIC GROUPS MA UP 44 PERCENT OF THE POPULATN. THE LAW PROVIS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR INDIGENO PERSONS AND OBLIG THE ERNMENT TO REGNIZE, RPECT, AND PROMOTE THE LIFTYL, CTOMS, TRADNS, SOCIAL ANIZATNS, AND MANNER OF DRS OF INDIGENO PERSONS. THE ERNMENT DO NOT, HOWEVER, REGNIZE PARTICULAR INDIGENO GROUPS AS HAVG A SPECIAL LEGAL STAT PROVID BY NATNAL LAW. THE LAW STIPULAT THAT THE ERNMENT MT NSULT WH INDIGENO GROUPS PRR TO IMPLEMENTG LARGE ASTCTURE PROJECTS INDIGENO TERRORI. OBSERVERS DITED THE ERNMENT DID NOT ALWAYS NSULT WH ALL AFFECTED PARTI AND INDIGENO LEARS, AND ACTIVISTS REGULARLY REPORTED BEG HARASSED AND THREATENED FOR THEIR WORK. INDIGENO LANDS WERE NOT EFFECTIVELY MARTED, MAKG THE LEGAL REGNN OF TL TO THE LAND PROBLEMATIC. INDIGENO REPRENTATIV CLAIMED BS AND OTHER ACTORS SEVERAL REGNAL VELOPMENT PROJECTS FAILED TO NSULT MEANGFULLY WH LOL MUNI. IN SOME S, INDIGENO MUNI WERE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE CISNS AFFECTG THE EXPLOATN OF ROURC THEIR MUNI, CLUDG ENERGY, MERALS, TIMBER, RIVERS, OR OTHER NATURAL ROURC. THEY ALSO LACKED EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS FOR DIALOGUE WH THE STATE TO ROLVE NFLICTS. ACRDG TO THE OHCHR, THERE WAS A SIGNIFINT CREASE ATTACKS AND CINTS OF FAMATN AND TIMIDATN AGAST INDIGENO FENRS OF INDIGENO LAND, TERRORY RIGHTS, AND NATURAL ROURC. ONE INDIGENO MUNY NSULTATN PROCS OVER THE OPERATN OF A SILVER ME SAN RAFAEL, SANTA ROSA, BETWEEN THE MISTRY OF ENERGY AND M AND THE XKA MUNY NTUED, WH THE XKA PARLIAMENT REPRENTG THEIR MUNY. ON JULY 20, REPRENTATIV OF THE XKA MUNY, THE XKA PARLIAMENT, AND THE MISTRY OF ENERGY AND M PLETED THE PRENSULTATN PHASE OF URT-ORRED NSULTATNS SAN RAFAEL, SANTA ROSA, WH A PLANNED END DATE OF FEBARY 2023. THE XKA PARLIAMENT IALLY CHARACTERIZED THE PROCS AS “WORKABLE” BUT REPORTED DECEMBER THAT THE PROCS WAS STALLED DUE TO AN IMPASSE OVER ERNMENT FUNDG OF TERNATNAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDI EXPERTS. DISCRIMATN AGAST INDIGENO CULTUR AND CTOMS EXISTED THE HEALTH-RE SYSTEM. CIVIL SOCIETY ANIZATNS OF INDIGENO MIDWIV RAL AREAS REPORTED THAT THEIR SERVIC WERE NOT REGNIZED BY ERNMENT HEALTH-RE STUTNS UNR THE MISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH. IN DECEMBER 2021 THE INTER-AMERIN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS LED THAT THE ERNMENT VLATED S MMENTS ON INDIGENO PEOPL’ RIGHTS BY SHUTTG DOWN FOUR INDIGENO MUNY RAD STATNS. THE URT LED THAT THE ERNMENT SHOULD PROVI SEVERAL REPARATN MEASUR. THE URT LED THAT THE ERNMENT HAD SIX MONTHS TO PUBLISH THE CISN S OFFICIAL ERNMENT REGISTRY, GIVG LEGAL EFFECT; HOWEVER, AS OF SEPTEMBER THE ERNMENT HAD NOT DONE THIS. INDIGENO MUNI WERE UNRREPRENTED NATNAL POLICS AND REMAED LARGELY OUTSI THE POLIL, ENOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL MASTREAM. THIS WAS MALY DUE TO LIMED TNAL OPPORTUNI (NTRARY TO LAW), LIMED MUNITN REGARDG INDIGENO RIGHTS, AND PERVASIVE DISCRIMATN. GOVERNMENT AGENCI DITED TO SUPPORTG INDIGENO RIGHTS LACKED POLIL SUPPORT. THE FACTORS NTRIBUTED TO DISPROPORTNATE POVERTY AND MALNUTRN AMONG MOST INDIGENO POPULATNS. CHILDREN BIRTH REGISTRATN: CHILDREN RIVE CIZENSHIP BY BIRTH WH THE UNTRY OR OM THEIR PARENTS. BIRTH REGISTRATNS WERE LOW AND DISCRIMATED AGAST RAL POPULATNS WHERE THERE WERE FEW ERNMENT REGISTRY OFFIC OR MORN HEALTH-RE FACILI. UNICEF SCRIBED LOW BIRTH REGISTRATN AS A “SER PROBLEM,” AND UNHCR REPORTED PROBLEMS REGISTERG BIRTHS WERE PECIALLY ACUTE INDIGENO MUNI DUE TO AQUATE ERNMENT REGISTRATN AND DOCUMENTATN SYSTEMS. LACK OF REGISTRATN RTRICTED CHILDREN’S ACCS TO SOME PUBLIC SERVIC AND CREATED NDNS THAT ULD LEAD TO STATELSNS. EDUTN: WHILE PRIMARY TN IS EE AND PULSORY THROUGH AGE 15, ACCS WAS LIMED MANY RAL AREAS. EDUTN THROUGH THE SENDARY LEVEL IS NOT OBLIGATORY. INTERNATNAL OBSERVERS NOTED THAT RAL MUNI, BOYS WERE PRRIZED FOR HIGH SCHOOL TN DUE TO THE PROBLEMS OF TRAVELG LONG DISTANC TO SCHOOL AND THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF GIRLS THE HOME. CHILD ABE: CHILD ABE REMAED A SER PROBLEM. A UN UNR THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR CRIM AGAST CHILDREN AND ADOLCENTS HANDLED CHILD ABE S. THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAS AN TEGRATED 24-HOUR RE MOL PROVIDG MEDIL, PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND LEGAL SUPPORT TO CHILDREN AND ADOLCENT VICTIMS OF VLENCE. CHILD, EARLY, AND FORCED MARRIAGE: THE LEGAL AGE FOR MARRIAGE IS 18. SEXUAL EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN: THE LAW PROVIS SENTENC RANGG OM 13 TO 24 YEARS PRISON, PENDG ON THE VICTIM’S AGE, FOR ENGAGG SEX WH A MOR. THE MIMUM AGE OF NSENSUAL SEX IS 18. THE LAW F SEXUAL RELATNS WH A MOR UNR AGE 14 AS RAPE. THE LAW PROHIBS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND TABLISH PENALTI OF SIX TO 10 YEARS PRISON FOR PRODUCG, PROMOTG, AND SELLG CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, AND TWO TO FOUR YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT FOR POSSSG . THE MERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOATN OF CHILDREN, CLUDG CHILD SEX TOURISM, REMAED A PROBLEM, CLUDG PRIVATELY N ORPHANAG. DISPLACED CHILDREN: THERE WERE NUMERO CHILDREN LIVG ON THE STREET OR SLUMS. CRIMALS AND GANGS OFTEN RECED STREET CHILDREN, MANY OF THEM VICTIMS OF DOMTIC ABE, FOR PURPOS OF THEFT, EXTORTN, MERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOATN, TRANSPORTG NTRABAND, AND NDUCTG ILLEGAL DG ACTIVI. INSTUTNALIZED CHILDREN: MORE THAN 800 CHILDREN AND ADOLCENTS LIVED SHELTERS OPERATED BY THE SECRETARIAT FOR SOCIAL WELFARE. THE ERNMENT LACKED CLEAR POLICI FOR CHILDREN WH DISABILI RINTIAL STUTNS, LEAVG ACMODATNS THE S UP TO THE DIVIDUAL STUTNS. FORMER SECRETARIAT SECRETARY CARLOS RODAS AND FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR PROTECTN AND SHELTER SERVIC ANAHI KELLER FACED CRIMAL CHARG FOR MURR, ABE OF THORY, BREACH OF DUTY, AND ABE AGAST MORS FOLLOWG THE ATHS OF 41 GIRLS THE 2017 FIRE AT THE HOGAR SEGURO ORPHANAGE, WHICH WAS UNR THE THORY OF THE SECRETARIAT. BOTH WERE ALLOWED TO AWA THEIR TRIAL UNR HOE ARRT. PUBLIC ARGUMENTS THE SE WERE SPEND FOR THE SIXTH TIME; AS OF SEPTEMBER 23, THE NEW DATE FOR PUBLIC ARGUMENTS HAD NOT BEEN SCHLED. ANTISEMISM THE JEWISH POPULATN WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500 PERSONS. JEWISH MUNY REPRENTATIV REPORTED NO ANTISEMIC CINTS AS OF NOVEMBER. TRAFFICKG PERSONS SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S TRAFFICKG PERSONS REPORT AT ACTS OF VLENCE, CRIMALIZATN, AND OTHER AB BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN, GENR INTY OR EXPRSN, OR SEX CHARACTERISTICS CRIMALIZATN: THERE ARE NO LAWS OR FACTO DISCRIMATN AGAST NSENSUAL SAME-SEX SEXUAL NDUCT BETWEEN ADULTS. VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS: VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS REMAED A PERSISTENT ISSUE. ACRDG TO AN ANNUAL REPORT OM THE LAMBDA ASSOCIATN, THERE WERE 21 KILLGS OF LGBTQI+ PERSONS OM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER WHICH THE VLENCE ULD PLSIBLY BE LKED TO THE VICTIMS’ SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY. THE LAMBDA ASSOCIATN ALSO REPORTED THAT MOST HOMICIS AND GENERAL CRIM OF PREJUDICE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS OCCURRED EHER THE PAL, GUATEMALA CY, OR IZABAL. ACRDG TO LGBTQI+ ACTIVISTS, GAY AND TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS OFTEN EXPERIENCED POLICE ABE. LGBTQI+ HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS STATED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT POLICE REGULARLY ENGAGED EXTORTN AND HARASSED MALE AND TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS WHOM THEY ALLEGED TO BE SEX WORKERS. LAMBDA AND OTHER LGBTQI+ ANIZATNS REPORTED A LACK OF WILL ON THE PART OF POLICE TO FULLY VTIGATE HATE CRIM AND VLENCE AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS. ON JULY 2, AN ASSAILANT SHOT AND KILLED NANCY SUC, AN INDIGENO TRANSGENR WOMAN WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE TRANSGENR WOMEN SEXUAL WORKERS COLLECTIVE OF TREBOL. THE ASSAILANT WAS TRYG TO EXTORT SUC, ACRDG TO PRS REPORTS AND A CRIMAL PLAT THAT SUC FILED DAYS BEFORE THE ATTACK. SUC’S ALLEGED KILLER WAS ARRTED AND WAS AWAG TRIAL, BUT FELLOW SEX WORKERS NTUED TO BE THREATENED AND EXTORTED AND CLAIMED SUC’S CRIMAL PLAT TO THE PUBLIC MISTRY REPORTG THE ATH THREATS AGAST HER WAS NOT TAKEN SERLY. OPENLY GAY AND HIV-POSIVE NGRSMAN ALDO DAVILA REPORTED THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF NGRS YELLED HOMOPHOBIC MENTS AT HIM WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK DURG SSNS OF NGRS AND DIRECTED HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AT HIM THE HALLS OF NGRS. DISCRIMATN: THE NSTUTN CLAR ALL PERSONS EQUAL UNR THE LAW AND PROHIBS DISCRIMATN BY STATE AND NONSTATE ACTORS BASED ON GENR, MARAL STAT, OR POLIL OPN. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN, GENR EXPRSN, OR SEX CHARACTERISTICS AND DO NOT REGNIZE LGBTQI+ DIVIDUALS, UPL, OR THEIR FAI. THE ERNMENT DO NOT PROVI OR MEASURE SEXUAL DIVERSY OR GENR INTY STATISTICS S CENS AND DO NOT BREAK DOWN HEALTH, TN, AND OTHER STATISTICS BY SEXUAL DIVERSY OR GENR INTY. LOL EXPERTS WHO WORKED ON SEXUAL DIVERSY ISSU STATED THE LACK OF MOGRAPHIC DATA HAMPERED NGO EFFORTS TO ANALYZE AND PROVI EFFECTIVE SOLUTNS TO PROBLEMS THE LGBTQI+ MUNY, SUCH AS POVERTY STEMMG OM LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNI. THOSE SAME EXPERTS NOTED POSIVELY THAT 2021 THE PUBLIC MISTRY STARTED LLECTG DATA ON THE SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY OF VICTIMS OF CRIME WHO FILED POLICE REPORTS. LGBTQI+ ADVOT POTED TO STCTURAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS GENR INTY DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS AND GENERAL SOCIETAL DISCRIMATN, THAT CREATED TERNAL DISPLACEMENT, DISCRIMATN, SEXUAL EXPLOATN, AND CHILD ABE AMONG MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQI+ MUNY. THERE WAS GENERAL SOCIETAL DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS ACCS TO TN, HEALTH RE, EMPLOYMENT, AND HOG. THE ERNMENT MA MIMAL EFFORTS TO ADDRS THIS DISCRIMATN. LOL EXPERTS ON SEXUAL DIVERSY ISSU SAID THE ERNMENT DID NOT PUBLISH OFFICIAL MEDIL GUIDANCE OR STANDARDS ON HORMONE THERAPY FOR GENR TRANSN THERAPI. HENCE, THE THERAPI WERE UNREGULATED THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND POSED RISKS FOR TRANSGENR PERSONS NSIRG PHYSLOGIL TRANSN THERAPI. THERE WERE ALSO NO PUBLICLY PROVID GENR TRANSN THERAPI ERNMENT MEDIL FACILI, SO DIVIDUALS HAD TO PAY PERSONALLY FOR ANY OF THE THERAPI. AVAILABILY OF LEGAL GENR REGNN: INDIVIDUALS NNOT SELF-INTIFY GENR FOR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THEIR GENR ASSIGNED AT BIRTH AND SHOWG ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFITE IS THEIR GENR ON THEIR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. GOVERNMENT-ISSUED NATNAL INTIFITN RDS THAT ARE ED TO ACCS BASIC SERVIC AND TN ROURC DO NOT ALLOW TRANSGENR PERSONS TO RECEIVE INTIFITN RDS WH THEIR CHOSEN NAM OR GENR INTIFITN. WHOUT INTIFITN THAT REFLECTED THE NAME AND GENR UNR WHICH THEY LIVED, TRANSGENR PERSONS WERE NIED MANY ERNMENT SERVIC. INVOLUNTARY OR COERCIVE MEDIL OR PSYCHOLOGIL PRACTIC SPECIFILLY TARGETG LGBTQI+ INDIVIDUALS: LGBTQI+ ACTIVISTS AND VTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS REPORTED THERE WAS AN ACTIVE WORK OF “NVERSN THERAPY” CENTERS, MOSTLY LOTED THE TERR OF THE UNTRY RAL AREAS BUT ANIZED AND FUND NJUNCTN WH EVANGELIL CHURCH THE PAL. REPORTS MENTNED ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY FOR GAY MEN, “RRECTIVE” RAPE FOR LBIAN WOMEN, AND ERCED SEX ACTS FOR TRANSGENR WOMEN. LGBTQI+ GROUPS ALSO CLAIMED LBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND QUEER WOMEN EXPERIENCED FORCED MARRIAG AND “RRECTIVE” RAPE TEND TO E PREGNANCY, ALTHOUGH THE CINTS WERE RARELY, IF EVER, REPORTED TO THORI. GENTE POSIVA, A HIV-POSIVE ADVOCY AND AWARENS GROUP, REPORTED THAT WHEN LBIAN WOMEN WHO WERE VICTIMS OF “RRECTIVE” RAPE TRIED TO FILE A LEGAL PLAT, THE PUBLIC MISTRY OFFICIALS RECEIVG THE PLAT OFTEN REFED TO RERD THE CINT IF THE WOMAN REPORTG THE RAPE KNEW THE ATTACKERS OR HAD DNK ALHOL THE SAME DAY AS THE RAPE. GENTE POSIVA ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ERNMENT DID NOT REGNIZE “RRECTIVE” RAPE OF LBIAN WOMEN AS AN AGGRAVATED VERSN OF SEXUAL ASSLT OR A HATE CRIME; THE ERNMENT NSIRS THE SAME AS RAPE. RTRICTNS OF FREEDOM OF EXPRSN, ASSOCIATN, OR PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY: THERE WERE NO NFIRMED OR REPORTED RTRICTNS ON THOSE SPEAKG OUT ON LGBTQI+ ISSU. PERSONS WH DISABILI PERSONS WH DISABILI WERE UNABLE TO ACCS TN, HEALTH SERVIC, PUBLIC BUILDGS, AND TRANSPORTATN ON AN EQUAL BASIS WH OTHERS. NO LAW REQUIR SUCH ACCS, NOR DO THE LAW MANDATE THAT PERSONS WH DISABILI HAVE ACCS TO RMATN OR MUNITNS. DISCRIMATN AGAST PERSONS WH DISABILI NTUED TO BE A PROBLEM, WH SUCH PERSONS EXPERIENCG DISCRIMATN BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC DISABILY, GENR, AGE, PLACE OF RINCY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATN, AMONG OTHER FACTORS. PERSONS WH DISABILI EXPERIENCED VLENCE, HARASSMENT, TIMIDATN, AND ABE, CLUDG CINTS CED, PERPETRATED, OR NDONED BY ATTENDANTS AND STAFF AT STUTNS. PERSONS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY WOMEN AND UNRREPRENTED GROUPS, EXPERIENCED HIGH LEVELS OF VLENCE AND ABE, CLUDG SEXUAL ASSLT. INTERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS POTED TO THE STUTNALIZATN OF PERSONS WH DISABILI AS A SOURCE OF HARASSMENT AND ABE. THEY STATED THAT BEE THERE IS NO NATNAL STRATEGY FOR STUTNALIZG CHILDREN WH DISABILI OM PUBLICLY SUPPORTED RINC AND FACILI, THE CHILDREN WOULD MOST LIKELY REMA STUTNALIZED. CHILDREN WH DISABILI WH HIGH SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS WERE SENTIALLY FORCED TO LIVE STUTNS DUE TO THE LACK OF POLICI OR FUNDG THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO LIVE A FAY HOEHOLD. CHILDREN WH DISABILI ATTEND SCHOOL AT ALL LEVELS AT A SIGNIFINTLY LOWER RATE THAN OTHER CHILDREN; MOST DID NOT ATTEND SCHOOL AT ALL. NONERNMENTAL ANIZATNS THAT ADVOTED FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI REPORTED THE ERNMENT VLATED THE RIGHT TO TN FOR STUNTS WH DISABILI, PECIALLY THOSE WH TELLECTUAL DISABILI. REPORTS DITED THAT ONLE LEARNG ROURC MA AVAILABLE TO STUNTS WH DISABILI WERE FOCED ON VISUALLY AND DORILY IMPAIRED STUNTS AND THAT FEW SOLUTNS WERE PROVID FOR STUNTS WH OTHER DISABILI. A REPORT BY THE NGO WOMEN ENABLED INTERNATNAL SCRIBED MULTIPLE DISCRIMATNS FACED BY INDIGENO PERSONS WH DISABILI. DISCRIMATORY CULTURAL NORMS AGAST PERSONS WH DISABILI, WERE TENSIFIED AGAST INDIGENO WOMEN WH DISABILI, CREASG THE POSSIBILY THAT THEY WOULD BE SEPARATED OM THEIR CHILDREN OR BE FORCIBLY STERILIZED. OBSERVERS NOTED LTLE PROGRS WAS MA ACCS TO VOTG FOR PERSONS WH DISABILI. VOTG MECHANISMS FOR PERSONS WH TELLECTUAL DISABILI DID NOT EXIST. VOTG BRAILLE EXISTED, BUT DID NOT GUARANTEE SECRET VOTG. OTHER SOCIETAL VLENCE OR DISCRIMATN ON SEVERAL OCSNS, VIGILANTE MOBS ATTACKED AND KILLED PERSONS SPECTED OF CRIM SUCH AS RAPE, KIDNAPPG, THEFT, OR EXTORTN. THE NGO MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUP REPORTED FIVE PERSONS WERE KILLED AND 62 JURED BY VIGILANTE GROUPS OM JANUARY THROUGH AUGT. THE NGO STATED THE ATTACKS TOOK PLACE MOSTLY TERR PARTMENTS OF THE UNTRY WH WEAK LAW ENFORCEMENT. SEVERAL TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED THE NTUED PROBLEM OF EXTRALEGAL FORCED REMOVAL OF LOL INDIGENO GROUPS OM LAND AND THE LACK OF PROPER ERNMENT VOLVEMENT TO ENSURE THAT REMOVALS WERE NDUCTED LEGALLY. REMOVALS WERE SOMETIM NDUCTED BY SECURY GUARDS HIRED BY PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND SOMETIM BY GROUPS OF OTHER LOL DIVIDUALS THAT WANTED TO TAKE OVER LAND. ONE SUCH FORCED REMOVAL OCCURRED LA PILAS, CAHABON, ALTA VERAPAZ, ON APRIL 5. A GROUP OF DOZENS OF RINTS ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE APPROXIMATELY 15 FAI THE MUNY OF LAS PILAS BY THREATENG THEM WH BEG SHOT, BEATGS, AND BY BURNG THE SHELTERS THEY LIVE . ACRDG TO A LOL OFFICIAL OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE, THE VLENCE GENERATED BY THIS NFLICT MA POLICE HANT TO RPOND DUE TO FEAR FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY, AS THE POLICE WERE FAR OUTNUMBERED BY THE ASSAILANTS. MEMBERS OF THE DISPLACED MUNY STATED THAT AS OF SEPTEMBER THE THREATS AGAST THEM NTUED AND THE NFLICT OVER THE LAND HAD NOT END. THERE WAS NFLICT THE TERR OF THE UNTRY BETWEEN INDIGENO EVANGELIL GROUPS AND INDIGENO ADHERENTS OF MAYAN SPIRUAL GROUPS. THIS ICTN RULTED VLENCE ONE CINT ON MAY 16, CHICHIPATE, IZABAL. MEMBERS OF THE LOL MUNY ERNMENT THORY ILLEGALLY TAED MAYAN SPIRUAL GUI ALA CHOC CZ AND HER ADULT CHILD, SANDRA TEC CHOC, AND THREATENED TO BURN CHOC CZ ALIVE FOR MTG ACTS OF WCHCRAFT AGAST THE CHILD OF A LOL EVANGELIL LEAR. COMMUNY MEMBERS BURNED CHOC CZ’S HOE AND WARD OFF POLICE THAT ATTEMPTED TO TERVENE. AS OF SEPTEMBER, THE PUBLIC MISTRY HAD NOT BROUGHT CHARG AGAST, NOR HAD THE POLICE ARRTED, THOSE ACCED OF THE THREATS AGAST CHOC CZ. THE LAW PROHIBS DISCRIMATN BASED ON HIV OR AIDS STAT. SOCIAL DISCRIMATN AND STIGMA AROUND AIDS AND HIV NTUED TO BE PROBLEMATIC AND NTRIBUTED TO NOT ONLY THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE BUT ALSO MORTALY RAT. SOME ERNMENT THORI REQUIRED CIZENS TO REVEAL HIV AND AIDS TT RULTS TO RECEIVE CERTA PUBLIC BENEFS, AND SOME EMPLOYERS REQUIRED SIAR DISCLOSURE TO BE HIRED. DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBTQI+ PERSONS WH HIV OR AIDS WAS PARTICULARLY MON AND AFFECTED ACCS TO HIV-PREVENTN PROGRAMS, PECIALLY FOR TRANSGENR DIVIDUALS. SECTN 7. WORKER RIGHTS A. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND THE RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAG THE LAW PROVIS FOR THE RIGHT OF WORKERS, EXCEPT FOR SECURY FORCE MEMBERS, TO FORM AND JO TRA UNNS, NDUCT LEGAL STRIK, AND BARGA LLECTIVELY. THE LAW, HOWEVER, PLAC SOME RTRICTNS ON THE RIGHTS. FOR EXAMPLE, LEGAL REGNN OF AN DTRYWI UNN REQUIR THAT THE MEMBERSHIP NSTUTE A MAJORY OF THE WORKERS AN DTRY. THE LAW RTRICTS UNN LEARSHIP TO CIZENS. MISTRI AND BS ARE REQUIRED TO NEGOTIATE ONLY WH THE LARGT UNN, AS TERMED BY ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP. THE LAW PROHIBS ANTIUNN DISCRIMATN AND EMPLOYER TERFERENCE UNN ACTIVI AND REQUIR EMPLOYERS TO RESTATE WORKERS DISMISSED FOR ANIZG UNN ACTIVI. A STRIKE MT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE MAJORY OF A PANY’S WORKFORCE. WORKERS ARE NOT RTRICTED TO MEMBERSHIP ONE UNN OR ONE DTRY. THE PRINT AND BET MAY SPEND ANY STRIKE EMED GRAVELY PREJUDICIAL TO THE UNTRY’S SENTIAL ACTIVI AND PUBLIC SERVIC. THE ERNMENT F SENTIAL SERVIC MORE BROADLY THAN TERNATNAL STANDARDS, TH NYG THE RIGHT TO STRIKE TO MANY PUBLIC WORKERS, SUCH AS THOSE WORKG POSTAL SERVIC, TRANSPORT, AND THE PRODUCTN, TRANSPORTATN, AND DISTRIBUTN OF ENERGY. PUBLIC EMPLOYE MAY ADDRS GRIEVANC BY MEANS OF NCILIATN FOR LLECTIVE DISPUT AND ARBRATN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE LABOR URTS. FOR SECTORS NSIRED SENTIAL, ARBRATN IS PULSORY IF THERE IS NO AGREEMENT AFTER 30 DAYS OF NCILIATN. THE LAW PROHIBS EMPLOYER RETALIATN AGAST WORKERS ENGAGED LEGAL STRIK. IF THORI DO NOT REGNIZE A STRIKE AS LEGAL, EMPLOYERS MAY SPEND OR TERMATE WORKERS FOR ABSENCE WHOUT LEAVE. A FACTORY OR BS OWNER IS NOT OBLIGATED TO NEGOTIATE A LLECTIVE BARGAG AGREEMENT UNLS AT LEAST 25 PERCENT OF WORKERS THE FACTORY OR BS ARE UNN MEMBERS AND REQUT NEGOTIATNS. ONCE A STRIKE OCCURS, PANI ARE REQUIRED TO CLOSE DURG NEGOTIATNS. STRIK WERE EXTREMELY RARE, BUT WORK STOPPAG WERE MON. THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE THE LAW; THREATS AND VLENCE AGAST TRA UNNISTS NTUED. THE MISTRY OF LABOR HAS THE THORY TO SANCTN EMPLOYERS FOR VLATG UNN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG RIGHTS, BUT ERNMENT STUTNS, SUCH AS THE MISTRY OF LABOR AND THE LABOR URTS, DID NOT EFFECTIVELY VTIGATE, PROSECUTE, OR PUNISH EMPLOYERS WHO VLATED EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG RIGHTS. PROCRAL HURDL, RTRICTNS ON AND LAYS FORMG UNNS, AND IMPUNY FOR EMPLOYERS REJECTG OR IGNORG URT ORRS SEVERELY LIMED EEDOM OF ASSOCIATN AND LLECTIVE BARGAG. PENALTI WERE LS THAN THOSE FOR OTHER LAWS VOLVG NIALS OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SUCH AS DISCRIMATN. LABOR URTS ALSO FAILED TO PEL PLIANCE WH RESTATEMENT ORRS, CLUDG PAYMENT OF BACK WAG, FOR WORKERS ILLEGALLY DISMISSED FOR ENGAGG UNN ACTIVI, PECIALLY RAL AREAS. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL BACKLOG OF S THE LABOR URTS THAT ED LAYS OF UP TO FIVE YEARS. THE PUBLIC MISTRY WAS EFFECTIVE RPONDG TO LABOR URT REFERRALS FOR CRIMAL PROSECUTN S WHERE EMPLOYERS REFED TO PLY WH LABOR URT ORRS. IN THE LABOR SPECTN SYSTEM AND THE LABOR URTS, EMPLOYERS ROUTELY FLUENCED THORI TO FAVOR THEIR TERTS OR SIMPLY REFED TO PLY. ACRDG TO THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FOR CRIM AGAST UNNISTS, 70 PERCENT OF PLATS 2020 VOLVED PERSISTENT EMPLOYER REFAL TO PLY WH JUDICIAL ORRS. PENALTI WERE RARELY SUCCSFULLY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE REPORTED THAT SPECTED 10 S OF POTENTIAL VLATNS TO THE RIGHT TO FORM AN PENNT UNN OR LLECTIVELY BARGA. WORKER REPRENTATIV REPORTED NO SIGNIFINT IMPROVEMENT PLIANCE WH THE LAW SPE THE MISTRY’S THORY TO SANCTN EMPLOYERS DIRECTLY. THE REPRENTATIV NOTED THAT THE SPECTORATE EMPHASIZED THE LLECTN OF F, WHICH WENT TO THE LABOR SPECTORATE, OVER REMEDIATN OF THE UNRLYG VLATNS. LACK OF RMATN REGARDG THE LAW’S IMPLEMENTATN MA DIFFICULT TO ASSS S IMPACT ON IMPROVG LABOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE UN FOR CRIM AGAST UNNISTS WH THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS THE PUBLIC MISTRY WAS RPONSIBLE FOR VTIGATG ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAST UNN MEMBERS AS WELL AS FOR NONPLIANCE WH JUDICIAL ORRS LABOR S. THE ERNMENT REPORTED AN CREASED BUDGET FOR THE UN, BUT STAFFG FOR THE UN REMAED STAGNANT, AND THERE WERE NO SUCCSFUL PROSECUTNS THIS YEAR. AS OF NOVEMBER, THE TRA UNN PERMANENT COMMISSN FOR PROTECTN, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NVENED BY THE PUBLIC MISTRY TO ADDRS PROBLEMS OF ANTIUNN VLENCE, HELD NO MEETGS. THIS MISSN HAD NOT HELD REGULAR MEETGS SCE 2018. ACRDG TO NGOS, THE GENERAL INSPECTORATE OF LABOR FAILED TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS WHO FORMED NEW UNNS WERE PROTECTED OM TERMATN. THE SPECTORATE EQUENTLY FAILED TO NOTIFY THE PANI OF THE FORMATN OF THE UNN AND THE PROHIBN AGAST FIRG THE FOUNRS, OR THE SPECTORATE FAILED TO DO SO WH THE TIMEAME REQUIRED BY LAW. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR FAILED TO REGISTER UNNS WH THE PRCRIBED TIMEAME. WORKERS AND THE MISTRY OF LABOR AGREED THE PROCRAL MANUAL FOR REGISTERG UNNS NEED TO BE UPDATED AND ALIGNED WH THE CURRENT LABOR LAWS. WORKERS FORMED A UNN AT CENTEXSA S.A. HOSIERY MANUFACTURG AND SUBMTED THEIR REGISTRATN ON FEBARY 6 TO THE MISTRY OF LABOR. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR INTIFIED MOR ERRORS, WHICH THE UNN IMMEDIATELY RRECTED. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR FOUND NEW ERRORS AND FORCED THE UNN TO RUBM DOCUMENTATN THREE TIM REGNIZG OFFICIAL REGISTRATN. ON APRIL 7, THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF LABOR CERTIFIED THE UNN, WELL BEYOND THE REQUIRED 20 DAYS AFTER RECEIVG THE REQUT. THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE FOR CRIM AGAST JUDICIAL WORKERS AND UNNISTS REPORTED THAT OM JANUARY TO AUGT, RECEIVED 53 PLATS OF CRIM OR OFFENS AGAST TRA UNNISTS AND LABOR ACTIVISTS. FROM JANUARY TO AUGT, AN NGO REGISTERED FOUR ATH THREATS AND SIX S OF THREATS AND TIMIDATN AGAST TRA UNNISTS AND LABOR ACTIVISTS. ONE UNN LEAR RECEIVED A ATH THREAT OVER THE TELEPHONE. UNN LEARS OM AN APPAREL MANUFACTURG PANY FILED A CRIMAL PLAT WH THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE ALLEGG THREATS AND TIMIDATN CHARG; THE SE REMAED UNR VTIGATN. IN THAT SE, THORI PROVID PROTECTN SUCH AS POLICE PRENCE AND PERIMETER PATROLS THE AREAS SURROUNDG THE FACTORY AND RINC OF THE AFFECTED TRA UNNISTS. LABOR RIGHTS FENRS NOTED AN CREASE MASS FIRGS, E OF FORCE AGAST LLECTIVE ACTN, AND CRIMALIZATN OF WORKER PROTT. EMPLOYERS ROUTELY RISTED ATTEMPTS TO FORM UNNS, LAYED OR ONLY PARTIALLY PLIED WH AGREEMENTS OM DIRECT NEGOTIATNS, AND IGNORED JUDICIAL LGS REQUIRG THE EMPLOYER TO NEGOTIATE WH REGNIZED UNNS. THERE NTUED TO BE CREDIBLE REPORTS OF EMPLOYERS RETALIATG AGAST WORKERS WHO TRIED TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS. THERE WERE NUMERO PLATS ABOUT FIRGS OR SPENSNS ALLEGG EMPLOYER RETALIATN FOR UNN ACTIVY, ACRDG TO AN NGO. AUTHORI FAILED TO ENFORCE LABOR LAWS AND LET PLATS OF RETALIATN AGAST UNN MEMBERS LANGUISH. FOR EXAMPLE, AT CARN PROCADAS, THE PANY FIRED 45 UNN MEMBERS, AND SPE 31 ORRS OF RESTATEMENT OM THE URTS, REFED TO OBEY ANY OF THE ORRS. THE WORKERS REMAED WHOUT EMPLOYMENT SPE THE EMPLOYER REFG TO FOLLOW URT ORRS AND BEG FOUND NTEMPT. IN JANUARY A GROUP OF WORKERS OM AN APPAREL MANUFACTURG PANY NOTIFIED GLOBAL BRANDS FOR WHICH THEY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OF THEIR TENTN TO FORM A UNN, ACRDG TO AN NGO. OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, THE PANY FIRED NE WORKERS WHO TEND TO FORM A UNN. THE WORKERS ALERTED THE BRANDS OF THEIR DISMISSAL AND WERE RESTATED SIX DAYS LATER PER THE REQUT OF THE BRANDS. DPE HAVG FILED PLATS WH THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE, NO SPECTN WAS RRIED OUT UNTIL MONTHS LATER WHEN WORKERS WERE ALREADY RESTATED TO THEIR WORK DUE TO THE BRANDS’ TERVENTNS. B. PROHIBN OF FORCED OR COMPULSORY LABOR THE LAW PROHIBS AND CRIMALIZ ALL FORMS OF FORCED OR PULSORY LABOR. THE ERNMENT FAILED TO ENFORCE THE LAW EFFECTIVELY. REPORTS PERSISTED OF MEN AND WOMEN SUBJECTED TO FORCED LABOR AGRICULTURE AND DOMTIC SERVICE, MOSTLY THE PALM OIL DTRY. CRIMAL PENALTI FOR FORCED LABOR RANGE OM EIGHT TO 18 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT AND A FE. THE ERNMENT HAS SPECIALIZED POLICE AND PROSECUTORS WHO HANDLE S OF HUMAN TRAFFICKG, CLUDG FORCED LABOR. LOL EXPERTS REPORTED SOME PROSECUTORS LACKED AQUATE TRAG. THERE WERE REPORTS OF FORCED CHILD LABOR AGRICULTURE, PRODUCTN OF GARMENTS, DOMTIC WORK, STREET BEGGG, MAKG RN TORTILLAS, AND VENDG (SEE SECTN 7.C.). ALSO SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S TRAFFICKG PERSONS REPORT AT . C. PROHIBN OF CHILD LABOR AND MIMUM AGE FOR EMPLOYMENT SEE THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S FDGS ON THE WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR AT . D. DISCRIMATN WH RPECT TO EMPLOYMENT AND OCCUPATN THE LAW EXPLICLY PROHIBS DISCRIMATN WH RPECT TO EMPLOYMENT OR OCCUPATN BASED ON RACE, LOR, SEX, ETHNICY, PREGNANCY STAT, RELIGN, POLIL OPN, NATNAL ORIG OR CIZENSHIP, AGE, AND DISABILY. THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE THE LAW AND RELATED REGULATNS. PENALTI WERE LS SEVERE THAN THOSE FOR LAWS RELATED TO CIVIL RIGHTS, SUCH AS ELECTN TERFERENCE. PENALTI WERE RARELY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. DISCRIMATN EMPLOYMENT AND OCCUPATN OCCURRED. NO PROVISNS THE LABOR PROVI SPECIFIC PROTECTNS TO GENR INTY, HIV OR AIDS STAT, OR REFUGEE OR STATELS STAT. ANECDOTALLY, WAGE DISCRIMATN BASED ON RACE AND SEX OCCURRED OFTEN RAL AREAS. ACRDG TO DATA OM A NATNAL SURVEY, WOMEN’S WAG REPRENTED 73 PERCENT OF THE MEN’S AVERAGE WAGE. OF THE WORKG-AGE POPULATN, 63 PERCENT WERE ENOMILLY ACTIVE; MEN’S PARTICIPATN THE LABOR FORCE WAS 86 PERCENT, NTRASTG WH 43 PERCENT FOR WOMEN. THE LAW DO NOT PROHIB SEXUAL HARASSMENT THE PRIVATE-SECTOR WORKPLACE. HUMAN RIGHTS ANIZATNS REPORTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT WAS WISPREAD (SEE SECTN 6). GARIFUNA AND AO-SCENNT POPULATNS REPORTED THEIR ABILY TO OBTA WORK NTRACTS DUE TO THEIR RACE, CREASG THEIR RISK OF LABOR EXPLOATN. UNNIZED WORKERS OM THE SOUTHERN AST PLAED OF DISCRIMATORY TREATMENT BASED ON GENR EXPRSN, SPECIFILLY RELATED TO THEIR PHYSIL APPEARANCE, THEIR WAY OF DRSG, AND GTURAL BEHAVR. THE UNNIZED WORKERS DITED THAT SOME OF THE S HAD BEEN TAKEN TO LABOR NCILIATN BOARDS. MOST S WERE ROLVED FAVORABLY BUT WHOUT SPECIFILLY ACKNOWLEDGG DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN OR GENR INTY. E. ACCEPTABLE CONDNS OF WORK WAGE AND HOUR LAWS: THE LAW SETS NATNAL MIMUM WAG FOR AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL WORK AND FOR WORK GARMENT FACTORI. THE MIMUM WAG DID NOT MEET THE MIMUM FOOD BUDGET FOR A FAY OF FIVE. THE LEGAL WORKWEEK IS 48 HOURS, WH AT LEAST ONE PAID 24-HOUR RT PERD. THE LAW PROHIBS WORKERS OM WORKG MORE THAN 12 HOURS A DAY. THE LAW PROVIS FOR 12 PAID ANNUAL HOLIDAYS AND PAID VATN OF 15 WORKG DAYS AFTER ONE YEAR’S WORK. DAILY AND WEEKLY MAXIMUM HOUR LIMS DO NOT APPLY TO DOMTIC WORKERS. TIME-AND-A-HALF PAY IS REQUIRED FOR OVERTIME WORK, AND THE LAW PROHIBS EXCSIVE PULSORY OVERTIME. THE GENERAL LABOR INSPECTORATE REPORTED THAT MOST SPECTNS WERE TRIGGERED BY PLATS ABOUT BENEFS AND WAG. OTHER FACTORS NTRIBUTG TO THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT CLUD EMPLOYER REFAL TO PERM LABOR SPECTORS TO ENTER FACILI, EMPLOYER REFAL TO PROVI PAYROLL RERDS AND OTHER DOCUMENTATN, AND SPECTORS’ LACK OF FOLLOW-UP SPECTNS THE FACE OF SUCH REFALS. TRA UNN LEARS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS REPORTED EMPLOYERS REQUIRED WORKERS TO WORK OVERTIME WHOUT RECEIVG LEGALLY MANDATED PREMIUM PAY. MANAGEMENT OFTEN MANIPULATED EMPLOYER-PROVID TRANSPORTATN TO WORKS TO FORCE EMPLOYE TO WORK OVERTIME, PECIALLY EXPORT-PROCSG ZON LOTED ISOLATED AREAS WH LIMED TRANSPORTATN ALTERNATIV. NONPLIANCE WH MIMUM WAGE PROVISNS THE AGRICULTURAL AND RMAL SECTORS WAS WISPREAD. ADVOCY GROUPS TIMATED MOST WORKERS RAL AREAS WHO ENGAGED DAYLONG EMPLOYMENT DID NOT RECEIVE THE WAG, BENEFS, OR SOCIAL SECURY ALLOTNS REQUIRED BY LAW. MANY EMPLOYERS THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REPORTEDLY NDNED PAYMENT OF THE MIMUM DAILY WAGE ON EXCSIVE PRODUCTN QUOTAS THAT WORKERS GENERALLY WERE UNABLE TO MEET. TO MEET THE QUOTA, WORKERS BELIEVED THEMSELV PELLED TO WORK EXTRA HOURS, SOMETIM BRGG FAY MEMBERS, CLUDG CHILDREN, TO HELP WH THE WORK. BEE OF HAVG TO WORK BEYOND THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED HOURS PER DAY, WORKERS RECEIVED LS THAN THE MIMUM WAGE FOR THE DAY AND DID NOT RECEIVE THE REQUIRED OVERTIME PAY. LOL UNNS HIGHLIGHTED AND PROTTED VLATNS BY EMPLOYERS WHO FAILED TO PAY EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE NTRIBUTNS TO THE NATNAL SOCIAL SECURY SYSTEM SPE DUCTG EMPLOYEE NTRIBUTNS OM WORKERS’ PAYCHECKS. THE VLATNS, PARTICULARLY MON EXPORT AND AGRICULTURAL DTRI, RULTED LIMG OR NYG EMPLOYE’ ACCS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM AND A RCTN OF WORKERS’ PENSN BENEFS. MANY EMPLOYERS OF DOMTIC SERVANTS ROUTELY PAID LS THAN MIMUM WAGE, FAILED TO REGISTER THEIR EMPLOYE WH THE GUATEMALAN INSTUTE OF SOCIAL SECURY, AND MAND 16-HOUR DAYS FOR SIX OR MORE DAYS A WEEK FOR LIVE- STAFF. OCCUPATNAL SAFETY AND HEALTH: THE ERNMENT SET OCCUPATNAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) STANDARDS THAT WERE AQUATE AND OUTDATED. ACRDG TO THE MOST RECENT REPORTS, WHICH WERE OM 2018, THE MISTRY OF LABOR REPORTED THAT OCCUPATNAL ACCINTS WERE A EQUENT OCCURRENCE GUATEMALA CY, PARTICULARLY THE NSTCTN AND FOOD DISTRIBUTN SECTORS. IN JUNE FIVE WORKERS OM A MUNICIPAL WATER PANY WERE SWEPT AWAY BY RAWATER WHILE CLEANG AN ABSORPTN WELL GUATEMALA CY. TWO OF THE WORKERS DIED. THE LAW DO NOT PROVI FOR THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO REMOVE THEMSELV OM SUATNS THAT ENDANGER HEALTH OR SAFETY. WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH ENFORCEMENT: THE ERNMENT DID NOT EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH LAWS. EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF OVERTIME ABE BY EMPLOYERS WAS UNRMED BY AQUATE F AND THE RELUCTANCE OF LABOR URTS TO E PULSORY MEASUR SUCH AS CREASED F AND REFERRALS TO THE CRIMAL URTS. PENALTI FOR WAGE, HOUR, AND OSH VLATNS WERE LS THAN THOSE FOR ANALOGO CRIM SUCH AS NEGLIGENCE. PENALTI WERE RARELY APPLIED AGAST VLATORS. INSPECTORS PREVLY LACKED VEHICL OR FUEL TO RRY OUT SPECTNS, BUT THE MISTRY OF LABOR OBTAED ADDNAL NEW VEHICL 2021. INSPECTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE UNANNOUNCED SPECTNS. IN SOME S, SPECTORS FAILED TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTN TO GA ACCS TO WORKS WHEN EMPLOYERS REFED TO PERM ACCS. INSPECTORS WERE ENURAGED TO SEEK POLICE ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED. INSPECTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO IATE SANCTNS; ANY F LLECTED GO TO THE MISTRY. APPROXIMATELY 43 PERCENT OF THE LABOR SPECTORATE’S SPECTNS RRIED OUT OM JANUARY TO AUGT WERE PLAT-DRIVEN. INSPECTNS WERE GENERALLY NOT PREHENSIVE, AND IF PLAT-DRIVEN, FOCED ON VTIGATG THE ALLEGED VLATN RATHER THAN ATTEMPTG TO MAXIMIZE LIMED ROURC TO TERME PLIANCE BEYOND THE DIVIDUAL PLAT. MANY SPECTORS PERFORMED REVIEWS ON PAPER OR ADMISTRATIVE DUTI RATHER THAN DOG ON-SE SPECTNS. ALTHOUGH THE LABOR SPECTORATE HIRED SEVEN ADDNAL SPECTORS 2021, THE NUMBER OF SPECTORS WAS SUFFICIENT TO SUCCSFULLY ENFORCE LABOR LAW. THE MISTRY HAD 159 LABOR SPECTORS AND 22 PARTMENTAL LEGAT AUGT. THE MISTRY HAD -PERSON SERVICE WDOWS GUATEMALA CY TO RECEIVE LABOR PLATS. DURG THE PANMIC, THE MISTRY HAD CLOSED S OFFIC TO THE PUBLIC, AND WORKERS WERE UNABLE TO PRENT PLATS PERSON, BUT -PERSON SERVICE RUMED DURG THE YEAR. THE MISTRY ALSO OPENED A LL CENTER. DUE TO EFFICIENT AND LENGTHY URT PROCEEDGS, THE ROLUTN OF LABOR URT S WAS OFTEN LAYED, MANY STANC FOR SEVERAL YEARS. EMPLOYERS FAILG TO PROVI A SAFE WORKPLACE WERE RARELY PUNISHED, AND A LAW REQUIRG PANI WH MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYE TO PROVI ONSE MEDIL FACILI FOR THEIR WORKERS WAS NOT ENFORCED. INFORMAL SECTOR: ACRDG TO NATNAL STATISTICS INSTUTE DATA, 70.8 PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE WORKED THE RMAL SECTOR AND WERE TH OUTSI THE BASIC PROTECTNS AFFORD BY LABOR LAW. WOMEN PRISED MOST OF THE RMAL SECTOR, WH SOME REPORTS NOTG WOMEN PRISED 88 PERCENT OF THE RMAL SECTOR RAL AREAS. TYP OF RMAL WORK CLUD STREET AND MARKET VENDORS, RECYCLERS AND TRASH PICKERS, DAY LABORERS, AND SHORT-TERM (20 TO 30 DAYS) AGRICULTURAL WORKERS UALLY HIRED THROUGH RECERS AND WHOUT A LABOR NTRACT OR DIRECT-HIRE RELATNSHIP WH THE EMPLOYER. INFORMAL ENOMY WORKERS WERE NOT SUBJECT TO WAGE, HOUR, OSH, OR SPECTN LAWS. THEY WERE NOT ENROLLED SOCIAL SECURY AND HAD NO WAY TO ACCUMULATE CREDS FOR HEALTH RE OR PENSN. HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS, REPORTS U.S. EMBASSY GUATEMALA
Unintified assailants killed two transgenr women and one gay man Guatemala separate attacks wh the span of one week, cludg Andrea González, the lear of a trans rights anizatn. * guatemala gay rights *
The men who threatened her had phoned to extort her nearly every day for two months 2018, llg her homophobic slurs and misgenrg her. Ale’s se was one of dozens that Human Rights Watch documented a report published March 2021 on vlence and discrimatn agast lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people Guatemala.
GUATEMALA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY NGRSMAN BRAC FOR BATTLE
LGBT Rights Guatemala: homosexualy, gay marriage, gay adoptn, servg the ary, sexual orientatn discrimatn protectn, changg legal genr, donatg blood, age of nsent, and more. * guatemala gay rights *
The Human Right Ombudsperson’s Office reports that durg the first month of 2021, at least five gay and trans people were killed the untry.
A group of lawmakers Guatemala has advanced a bill that would stigmatize transgenr people and curtail children’s and adolcents’ rights to tn, rmatn, and health, Human Rights Watch said today. Congrs should reject the bill and stead addrs the vlence and discrimatn that lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people face the untry. * guatemala gay rights *
In Ale’s se, when she reported the lls to the police, they rpond wh homophobic slurs rather than assistance. (New York) – Unintified assailants killed two transgenr women and one gay man Guatemala separate attacks wh the span of one week, cludg Andrea González, the lear of a trans rights anizatn, Human Rights Watch said today.