human rights defender

Misael Méndez

Organization affiliation

  • Sector Interreligioso Centinelas

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Religious leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

Current Status

Acquitted

HRD's bio and work

Detained since

Apr 15, 2022

Date of release

Apr 15, 2022

Charge(s)

  • Damage to public property

Sentence

Not guilty

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location of detention - City/Town

Ciudad de Guatemala

Recent case update / evolution

On 15 April 2022, Misael pays a visit to Prosecutor Virginia Laparra, who is deprived of her liberty in Mariscal Zabala; when he finishes the visit and arrives at the checkpoint at the main gate, an agent of the National Police asks him again for his identification documents and does not allow him to leave, arguing that there are legal proceedings against him. Other agents arrive in patrol cars, take photographs and detain him illegally, although the defence lawyer explains that the charge has been dismissed. The agents threaten to send him to the Torre de Tribunales jail if he does not present a lawyer with the file to prove that Misael is innocent of the charges that appeared in the system. He finally manages to leave Mariscal Zabala when his lawyer shows up with the file and the corresponding official documents.

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