When former Guatemala dictator José Efraín Ríos Montt was convicted of crimes including genocide earlier this year, it was the first time a former head of state was prosecuted for genocide in his own country's courts, according to think tank International Crisis Group. But then the Constitutional Court annulled the verdict. ICG is concerned that the verdict was annulled due to political pressure. The case against Ríos Montt and another co-defendant has gone to a new tribunal instead. ICG makes many recommendations in this report, including depoliticizing "the selection process for a new Supreme Court and judges of other appellate tribunals, as well as for re-nominating or choosing a successor for the attorney general. Urgent steps must be taken to ensure that the process is both transparent and inclusive, reflecting the diversity of Guatemala's population, not just the interests of the wealthy and politically powerful."
Lawyer and Legal Journalist
