IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Mirian Aída Reguero and Her Family in Guatemala

August 6, 2024

Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 43/2024 on August 2, 2024, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Mirian Aída Reguero Sosa and her family in Guatemala, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their rights.

The party who requested these precautionary measures said that Reguero Sosa, a public prosecutor, has been the target of two attempts on her life. These armed attacks have not only caused her various serious injuries, but also claimed the lives of her partner in 2022 and her mother in 2024. According to the request for these precautionary measures, these attacks are linked to her work as a judicial officer, which includes ensuring the criminal prosecution of members of organized crime structures.

Further, the party who requested these precautionary measures said that the security detail currently implemented by the Security Department of the Public Prosecutor's Office in favor of Reguero Sosa to address the risks she faces as a public prosecutor has not been strengthened despite repeated requests.

The State deplored the attacks and acknowledged Reguero Sosa's good work. The State further noted that her current security detail "helps to reduce the serious risks she is exposed to," but said the specifics of the case are classified information.

When assessing this request for precautionary measures, the IACHR took into consideration Guatemala's current context and the fact that the alleged risks have already materialized twice. The Commission noted that the armed attack against Reguero Sosa in March 2024 showed that the protection detail in place since 2022 had not proved effective.

The IACHR said that the State had failed to provide the information that had been requested of it concerning the beneficiary's security detail. The IACHR noted that the authorities of competent jurisdiction had been aware of the beneficiary's situation and that no significant progress had been made in the investigations concerning the attacks against Reguero Sosa.

Therefore, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Guatemala to take the following action:

1. Adopt any measures necessary to protect the beneficiaries' rights to life and personal integrity
2. Adopt any measures necessary to enable Mirian Aída Reguero Sosa to continue to do her work without being subjected to threats, intimidation, harassment, or any other forms of violence
3. Come to an agreement with the beneficiaries and their representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
4. Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 175/24

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