Guatemala: fear for safety: Francisco Solbal Santay, Tiburcio Hernandez Hernandez, Noel Jesus de Beteta Alvarez, three others, Jorge Guillermo Lemus, members of the Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo por el Aparecimiento con Vida de Nuestros Familiares (GAM)

There is concern for the safety of all those listed above, following testimonies made by two imprisoned ex-soldiers, Francisco Solbal and Tiburcio Hernandez. At a news conference on 11 October at Guatemala City’s Pavoncito prison, they declared that higher military officials had ordered them to carry out the killing of Michael Devine, an American citizen, in 1990, and approximately 50 others as part of their work in a military death squad. They subsequently withdrew their testimonies, apparently after threats from the army high command. Their lives and those of four others who made similar accusations, and common law prisoner Jorge Lemus, are believed to be in danger, particularly after the death in custody of Oliverio Angel Echeverria.

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