The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, welcomed the conviction of former Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt for crimes against humanity and genocide, for which he was sentenced to 80 years in prison earlier this week.
Speaking on the conviction, Pillay said,
“Guatemala has made history by becoming the first country in the world to convict a former head of state for genocide in its own national court,”
“I salute the victims, relatives and survivors whose courage and perseverance made this possible against all odds, as well as the lawyers, prosecutors and judges who carried out their duties under exceptionally difficult circumstances in the face of serious threats and intimidation.”
The High Commissioner added that,
“Despite all the obstacles, interruptions and numerous legal challenges which slowed down the trial, Guatemala has shown the world, and even more importantly its own people, that it is possible to address past crimes and bring justice,”
“This historic verdict shows that no one is above the law, and that Guatemala’s institutions have the strength and solidity to carry this through – provided there is the will to do so.”
“Guatemala can now truly begin to heal the wounds of the past, as the suffering of so many people has been formally recognised,”
She praised the judges for recognizing that “for peace to exist, there must first be justice” and went on to say,
“Even five years ago, few people would have thought such a verdict was possible in Guatemala,”
“Now the country has shown that justice for serious international crimes can – and should – take place anywhere and everywhere that they occur. This trial will bring encouragement to people all over the world struggling for justice for crimes committed thirty years ago, and for crimes being committed today. For this reason, the trial and conviction of Ríos Montt has been of monumental importance at the international as well as the national level.”
