Press Release
Washington, DC—WOLA (the Washington Office on Latin America) expresses its deep concern over the threats and intimidation made against Miguel Ángel Gálvez, a Guatemalan judge of high impact cases. WOLA urges the state of Guatemala to guarantee the security of Judge Gálvez, and that of his family and colleagues. Additionally, WOLA requests that the Guatemalan Public Prosecutor’s Office investigate the source of these threats.
“Judicial independence is a fundamental pillar to achieving a genuine rule of law,” said Adriana Beltrán, WOLA Senior Associate for Citizen Security. “It is imperative that the state adopt all necessary measures to ensure that Judge Gálvez and other justice officials who have carried out their duties with transparency, professionalism, honesty, and independence be able to perform their work free of threats and intimidation.”
Gálvez, head of the High Risk Court B, has tried a number of drug trafficking, corruption, and human rights cases. He is currently hearing the “La Linea” and “Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal” (TCQ) cases, in which former president Otto Pérez Molina and former vice president Roxana Baldetti have been implicated. According to reports, Gálvez received intimidating messages and death threats last week during the conclusion of the preliminary hearings for the TCQ case.
###
Contact:
Adriana Beltrán
WOLA Senior Associate for Citizen Security
+1 (202) 797-2171
press@wola.org
