“I do it with sadness and with full consciousness that this decision will be especially hard for my familymis friendships and my lawyers. I ask you to understand the difficulty of my decision and I proceed with the objective only to protect myself and protect them“, said lawyer Laparra in a letter to which EFE had access.
The former prosecutor added that the two sentences once morest himwhich he considers arbitraryprompted his decision to leave the country, as well as the “threat that the criminal prosecution does not stop“, in the words of the jurist.
“More than ever, I am certain that the truth is on my side. From exile, I confirm to you once more: They can never take that away from me“, concludes Laparra’s letter.
Between 2020 and 2022, Laparra was in prison for alleged case of abuse of power which was prompted by the judge’s complaint Lesther Castellanoswho has various accusations of corruption once morest himincluding a sanction by USA.
Last week the lawyer was sentenced to five years in prison switchable for supposedly disclose confidential information of a case in 2017 and the State of Guatemala asked for the judgmentjoining as an aggrieved party.
During your stay in prisonthe defense of Laparra and international organizations They denounced violations of their rights y complications of health what were not attended to promptly by the authorities.
Between 2019 and 2023, more than 50 justice operators, journalists, indigenous leaders y Guatemalan activists They decided go into exile following denouncing political persecution once morest him by the Public ministry (Prosecutor’s Office), whose leadership is sanctioned by the US
On March 8, the president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arevalo de Leongave a recognition to Laparraduring an official ceremony held at the National Palace of Cultureseat of government.
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