Press Freedom
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Reporter Without Borders
Guatemala December 2, 2005
H.E. Oscar Jose Rafael Berger
President
Office of the President
Palacio Nacional, Nivel 2
6 Calle entre 6 y 7 Avenida, Zona 1
Guatemala City 01001
Republic of Guatemala
Your Excellency:
We write to express strong concern over the series of invasions at the Asociacion de Mujeres Ixqik (IxqikWomen’s Association).
This group, as you know, provides assistance and legal counsel to rape victims. This is not a popular cause, and the three burglaries of the premises, in which files were clearly searched and personal information taken, are troubling. It is worth noting that the invasions took place on days when the court was due to hear closing arguments in the controversial case of a mentally handicapped 50-year-old rape victim.
The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) takes an interest in this case because we fear that freedom of expression – which your government says it values – is gravely compromised when a group that says unpopular things finds itself burglarized three times in a matter of days, with indifferent response from the authorities.
We respectfully ask that the public prosecutors make a thorough investigation into the intrusions at AMI, and do its utmost to bring the perpetrators to justice. We hope the local authorities will signal their disapproval of these events – and show determination to uphold the rule of law – by providing protection to the Asociacion de Mujeres Ixqik.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.
Respectfully yours,
Cait Murphy
Kevin McDermott
Freedom of the Press Committee
cc:
Marco Antonio Cortez
Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against Journalists
And Trade Unionists
7a. Avenida 11-20, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
Republic of Guatemala
Fax: (011.502.2) 20-68-73
Hugo Leonel Maul Figueroa
Presidente
Corte Suprema de Justicia
61 Calle 7-70, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
Republic of Guatemala
Fax: (011.502.2) 30-03-90
Edgardio Daniel Barreda Valenzuela
Corte Suprema de Justicia
61 Calle 7-70, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
Republic of Guatemala
Fax: (011.502.2) 30-66-26
Guillermo Castillo
Ambassador of Guatemala to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the Republic of Guatemala
2220 R Street, NW
Washington , DC 20008
Fax: (202) 745-1908
Ambassador Jorge Skinner-Klee Arenales
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Guatemala
to the United Nations
57 Park Avenue
New York , NY 10016
Fax: (212) 685-8741
James Derham
U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala
Embassy of the United States of America
Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zona 10
Guatemala City
Guatemala
Cerigua
2a Calle 1-42, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
Guatemala
Fax: (011.502.2) 21-25-21