OMCT Campaign: Stop the criminalisation of Claudia and Jose! #SOSClaudia #SOSJose #SOSGuatemala

Claudia and José are facing a lawsuit by Nester Vásquez,President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala.

Because together we are stronger...

Because defenders are not criminals...

Our mobilisation will stop their criminalisation: Take action!

Who are they?

Claudia Samayoa is the President of UDEFEGUA’s Board ofDirectors and member of the OMCT Executive Committee.

She is widely recognised by the defenders' community in theAmericas: her work to promote the protection of human rights defenders and hersolidarity have taken her across the whole region and beyond. As aconsequence, she has often been threatened with "paying for theconsequences" of her work defending human rights.

José Manuel MartínezCabrera is a member of the Justicia Ya collective, a leadingorganisation in the work on issues related to the justice sector,constitutional reforms and deepening of democracy.

What's their crime?

Their crime is standing up to defend human rights in acountry in which doing so automatically means running risks in a context ofcorruption and impunity. The accusation against them is a form of retaliationagainst human rights defenders mobilising against the ongoing attacks ondemocratic institutions and rule of law in Guatemala.

A bill to approve an amnesty law. A bill to restrict theright to freedom of association. The closing of space for citizen participationand the defense of human rights. Increasing levels of violence against thedefenders. This is the context for Guatemalan defenders. But rather thandefending them, the Judiciary is unduly using criminal law against them!

What can you do?

· Show your support in social media using thehashtags #SOSClaudia, #SOSJose and #SOSGuatemala

· Take action following our Urgent Appeal publishedon March 24: Judicial harassment by the President of the SCJ against Claudia Virginia Samayoa Pineda and José Manuel Martínez Cabrera

Stay tuned for updates on the case and additional calls toaction!

Additional resources:

· Joint Open Letter by 100 human rights organisations from all around the world including OMCT and dozens of member organisations of our SOS-Torture Network: Civil society organizations condemn ongoing criminalization of human rights defenders Claudia Samayoa and José Martínez