Carlos Ernesto Choc Chub
Carlos Ernesto Choc Chub is an indigenous Maya Q'eqchi community journalist who is part of the independent media outlet Prensa Comunitaria kilómetro 169. His journalistic work and that of the media outlet in the municipality of El Estor, Izabal has had a high reach and since 2017 he has faced digital attacks, judicial harassment including criminalisation on fabricated charges by the company CGN-PRONICO and threats that have materialised in attacks against him. The journalist has relocated several times to safeguard his safety.
Since Otto Pérez Molina assumed the role of President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against HRDs have been on the rise. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security structures and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators increases the risk exponentially for HRDs.
