Take Action for Domingo Francisco Cristobal
Your Excellency,
On 26 October 2016, human rights defender Mr Domingo Francisco Cristobal was arrested in Chiantla, Huehuetenango, on charges of 'plagiarism', 'kidnapping' and 'incitement to commit a crime' after participating in a peaceful demonstration in favour of local farmers’ rights. He was transferred to a Guatemala City prison where he is currently detained.
Domingo Francisco Cristobal is a land, environmental and indigenous rights defender from Santa Eulalia, Huehuetenango. The defender is the President of the organisation Pro Justicia in Santa Eulalia, in addition to being a member of the Comité de Desarrollo Campesino - CODECA (Committee for the Development of Farmers), an advisor to the Committee for the Protection of the Environment of the Consejo Comunitario de Desarrollo - COCODE (Community Council for Development), a member of the Council of Peoples WUXHTAJ and a member of the traditional governing body of the Jolom Konob' Maya people.
On 26 October 2016, Domingo Francisco Cristobal was detained by agents of the Special Criminal Investigation Division (División Especializada en Investigación Criminal, DEIC) on his way back home after participating in a peaceful demonstration organised by CODECA, where he plays a leading role advocating for the social, economic and cultural rights of local indigenous farmers. The human rights defender was charged with 'plagiarism', 'kidnapping' and 'incitement to commit a crime' and was transferred to Guatemala City prison, Centro de Prevención Zona 18 where he has remained in detention. The first hearing for his trial is scheduled for 4 November 2016.
The arrest warrant against Domingo Francisco Cristobal was issued on 25 March 2015, however it was not executed until 26 October 2016, after he participated in a peaceful demonstration. According to civil society groups, a number of arrest warrants have been issued against human rights defenders, but have not been executed, and this practice acts as an implicit threat on their legitimate work in defence of human rights.
The arrest and detention of Domingo Francisco Cristobal is another example of the ongoing repression against land, environmental and indigenous peoples’ rights defenders in Huehuetenango. Seven environmental rights defenders and indigenous leaders were detained for between one and three years on unfounded charges related to their peaceful opposition to extractive and hydroelectric projects in Huehuetenango, before their release in July 2016.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemned the criminalisation of human rights defenders in Guatemala. In a 2015 report, it stated that “detentions are used as a mechanism to keep defenders from doing their work or to hold them in custody at crucial times in the defense of their causes" (para.184).
I condemn the arbitrary detention of Domingo Francisco Cristobal, which I consider to be in retaliation to his legitimate and peaceful human rights work on behalf of indigenous farmer communities in Huehuetenango.
Sincerely,
