Guatemala: Lawyer of Xinca People under threat
Quelvin Jimenez received death threats and continues to be targeted with smear campaigns, intimidations, and surveillance due to his activities defending the rights to land and territory of the Xinca People in the context of mining activities in the South of Guatemala. Latest threats include phone calls, the presence of an armed man near his home and an attempt of intimidation while he was going to his house on 6 May. We urge the public prosecutor’s office to carry out investigation into all the attacks and provide protection for Quelvin Jimenez.
FIRST UA: 063/19 Index: AMR 34/0336/2019 Guatemala Date: 10 May 2019
URGENT ACTION
LAWYER OF XINCA PEOPLE UNDER THREAT
Quelvin Jimenez received death threats and continues to be targeted with smear campaigns, intimidations,
and surveillance due to his activities defending the rights to land and territory of the Xinca People in the
context of mining activities in the South of Guatemala. Latest threats include phone calls, the presence of an
armed man near his home and an attempt of intimidation while he was going to his house on 6 May. We urge
the public prosecutor’s office to carry out investigation into all the attacks and provide protection for Quelvin
Jimenez.
TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER
Consuelo Porras
Guatemala’s General Attorney
Email: carrecis@mp.gob.gt (Mrs Porras’ private secretary)
Twitter: @MPguatemala
Dear General Attorney,
I am writing to express my alarm and concern for the safety of lawyer of the Xinca People, Quelvin Jimenez,
who was alerted on a plan to kill him in late April and that his house was under surveillance. On 6 May the
same armed man seen near his house chased Quelvin on a motorcycle attempting to make his vehicle slow
down. Quelvin has received death threats on the phone on several occasions. The investigations on previous
attacks remain pending and the police has yet to enforce security measures ordered by the public
prosecutor’s office to protect him.
We urge you to conduct a prompt, independent, effective and impartial investigation into all the threats
and attacks against Quelvin Jimenez, and to bring all those responsible to justice. We also ask that you
guarantee the protection of Quelvin Jimenez by the police, according to his wishes and needs.
Yours sincerely,
FIRST UA: 063/19 Index: AMR 34/0336/2019 Guatemala Date: 10 May 2019
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
On 2 May 2013, the government of Guatemala declared a state of emergency in and around San Rafael las Flores, a
town some 90 kilometres from the capital, following a series of violent incidents around the mining operation of Minera
San Rafael, a subsidiary of the Canada and US-based Tahoe Resources Inc. In January 2013, unknown armed men
attacked the mine site resulting in the deaths of two security guards and another person, presumed to be part of the
group attacking the site. For more information, see: Mining in Guatemala: Rights at risk
(http://www.amnesty.ca/sites/amnesty/files/mining-in-guatemala-rights-at-risk-eng.pdf)
Members of the Centre for Environmental, Social and Legal Action (CALAS) who have previously defended the rights of
communities affected by the San Rafael mining company have also reported reiterated acts of intimidation and
harassment against them For more information see Urgent Action: Smear Campaign against Human rights defenders
(https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr34/6680/2017/en/)
According to our research, Human rights defenders in Guatemala carry out their activities in an extremely hostile
environment, particularly those working on rights related to land, territory and the environment. They face continuous
threats, intimidation and attacks. The Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala (UDEFEGUA)
reported 26 human rights defenders were killed in 2018. Defenders are also regularly targeted with smear campaigns
aimed at stigmatizing and discrediting them by private actors and the Guatemalan authorities. The criminal justice
system is regularly misused, defenders are falsely accused and prosecuted trying keep them silent and to break up
movements and organizations. For more information, see the Amnesty International report “We are defending the land
with our blood”: Defenders of the land, territory and environment in Honduras and Guatemala
(https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr01/4562/2016/en/)
PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish. You can also write in your own
language.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 20 June 2019
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.
NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Quelvin Jímenez (he, his, him)
LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: n/a