human rights defender

José Acte

© Comité de Unidad Campesina

Organization affiliation

  • Comité de Unidad Campesina (CUC)

HRD's year of birth

1978

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Peasant leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Land rights

HRD's geographical origin

Rural

HRD's bio and work

(AI Translated) José Acte is a member of the Peasant Unity Committee, originally from Cubilhuitz, Cobán, Alta Verapaz; the defender is a peasant leader within his community and defends the right to land.

Current Status

Acquitted

Detained since

Jun 17, 2026

Date of release

Jul 6, 2026

Charge(s)

  • Other

Sentence

(AI Translated) The presiding judge of the Second Criminal and Narcotics Activity Court of the Alta Verapaz department issues a lack of merit ruling for the offenses of Aggravated Theft, Aggravated Robbery, and Usurpation (crimes for which the defense attorney was indicted), ordering the immediate release of José Acte

Latitude: 15.470545106629416

Longitude: -90.3647267818451

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location of detention - City/Town

(AI Translated) Cobán, Alta Verapaz

Location of detention - Facility

(AI Translated) Preventive Detention Center Cobán

Recent case update / evolution

(AI Translated) The defender José Acte was captured in the village of El Rancho, in the municipality of San Agustín, Acasaguastlán, El Progreso, and is charged with the crimes of usurpation, aggravated theft, and aggravated robbery. He is being held in preventive detention at the Cobán Detention Center until his first hearing takes place.

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