Claudia Virginia Samayoa
| Claudia Virginia Samayoa | |
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Claudia Virginia Samayoa, founder and coordinator of Unidad de Protección de Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos Guatemala (UDEFEGUA), is a human rights defender based in Guatemala..[1]. She began working on human rights issues at the age of 17.[2] As a philosophy graduate, Claudia works full time as researcher in the field of human rights. The organisation UDEFEGUA helps human rights defenders through the monitoring and verification of security risks, and advocacy. She is also a member of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) General Assembly [3]
Human Rights work[edit]
Claudia Samayoa founded UDEFEGUA in 2000, where attacks on human rights defenders are monitored. The organisation has investigated various cases against human rights defenders in Guatemala, including the defamation campaign against the San Juan Sacatepéquez movement and the murders in Malacatán. The organisation also documents irregularities within the Ministry of Governance in Guatemala.[4] Since it's establishment, her organisation has recorded over 4,500 attacks. Most of these attacks, around 80%, are against human rights defenders working on environmental and indigenous peoples issues in Guatemala. The organisation also provides protection for activists in the wider region and teaches them how to increase their personal security.[2] The organisation publishes regular reports on the situation of human rights defenders in Guatemala as well, which are available on its website.[1]
As part of her human rights research, Claudia Samayoa published on 14 November 2006 "Front Line Guatemala Attacks Against Human Rights Defenders 2000-2005". In this report she outlined the upsurge in attacks on human rights defenders over the past five years. The report demonstrated a dramatic increase in attacks against defenders of economic, social, and cultural rights. Furthermore the reports showed that this increase reveals evidence of planning, indicating that this is an organised assault on the right to defend human rights.[4]
On 4 November 2017 Claudia received the National Human Rights Prize of the Myrna Mack Chang Order from the National Human Rights Institution Attorney General Jorge de León Dueque for her human rights work.[3]
Harassment and threats[edit]
Due to her work in the fields of human rights, Claudia has received multiple death threats and has been attacked multiple times.[4] For example on the 2nd of February 2010 her car was tampered with in an attempt to cause an accident. Oil was poured under her seat which trickled under her feet when she was driving, causing the pedals to become slippery. As she was driving slowly she was still able to stop the car without causing an accident.[4]
Since Otto Pérez Molina was elected as President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against Human Rights Defenders have increased. The human rights defenders are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of these violations have been carried out by illegal groups and secret security structures. The impunity they enjoy has increased the risks for Human rights defenders greatly.[1]
During the week of 12 November 2012, Claudia received warnings of an attack that was being prepared against her. This attack was caused by a complaint that she had filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights denouncing a statement that she and several others were accused of involvement in terrorist activities and fueling anti-business hostility. This statement, which is believed to have been delivered at a press conference on 15 October 2012 claims that she had been financing destabilising organisations and partaking in conspiracies together with two accused ex-guerrillas who have taken part in the torture and kidnapping of the Foundation Against Terrorism's director in 1982.[4] It is furthermore claimed that Claudia was responsible for a number of violent clashes between the military and local populations through 'incitement'. The statement calls on the state authorities and armed forces to ensure that all those it deems complicit in 'political trials' against the military be held responsible and pay for their deeds. After this statement was released, Claudia received warnings of an attack being prepared on her life.[4]
On the 21st of April 2013, the Foundation Against Terrorism, which is an organisation set up by former military officials and military supporters, published a document, La Farsa del Genocidio en Guatemala - Conspiración Marxista desda Iglesia Católica, accusing Claudia of trying to blame the National Civil Police for violent clashes with the local community. This followed a break-in at the UDEFEGUA office in Nebaj on the 18th of April 2013. This break-in occurred after the suspension of the trail of two military personnel accused of genocide and crimes against humanity. Luckily, UDEFEGUA had taken security precautions and didn't leave computers or documentation at the office in Nebaj. This incident is part of a series of threats against human rights defenders who protect witnesses in this historic genocide trial.[4]
References/Notes and references[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Claudia Samayoa". Frontline Defenders. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Leach, A., Young. H., Banning-Lover, R. Larsson, N., Cabezas, P. (12 March 2016). "Hitmen tried to drive me off the road in Guatemala luckily I'm a good driver". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2018.CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Guatemala: Guatemalan activist Samayoa receives human rights award from national Ombudsman". OMCT. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Case history Claudia Samayoa". Frontline defenders. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
External links[edit]
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