Guatemala
19.06.01
Urgent Interventions
Guatemala: arrest of rapist private policeman
Case GTM 160501.1CC/VAW
Follow-up to case GTM 160501.CC/VAW
Violence against women
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Guatemala.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of private policeman Juan Francisco López Cano for the rape and attempted murder of 18 year-old street girl Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche.
According to the information received, last week agents from the Sexual Crimes and Criminal Investigation Service of the national civil police arrested the accused in zone 11 of Guatemala City. Investigations concerning the other suspect in the case are continuing.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, an 18 year-old girl was raped and shot in the throat in the early hours of 9 May 2001, in Guatemala City, by two private policemen from the Galil security guard company. The victim, a street child named Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche, was in an abandoned building at the corner of 6th Avenue and 24th street in Zone 4 of Guatemala City with several other children when two armed men entered the building and demanded that the children give them drugs or a girl with whom to have sex, while threatening them with their guns. The men then closed in on Sandra, put a gun to her head and took her away to the adjacent former Banco de la Vivienda (BANVI) building, which the men were supposed to be guarding.
According to the other children, who will remain anonymous for their own safety, the men took Sandra up to the third floor of the BANVI building and kept her there for 30-45 minutes. During this time, Sandra was reportedly raped by the policeman wearing plain clothes, while the uniformed policeman held her down. The men then shot Sandra in the throat after she cried out for help, and left her there bleeding profusely.
One of the street children called for an ambulance after the men had left, and ten minutes later Sandra was transported to the San Juan de Dios hospital in a critical condition, where she underwent emergency surgery. Fortunately, the bullet missed her artery and bones, and she is now out of danger. She has subsequently been released into Casa Alianza’s care.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Guatemala urging them to:
1. bring Juan Francisco López Cano before the relevant Tribunal to be tried for rape and attempted murder;
2. continue the necessary enquiries in order to arrest and prosecute the other suspect in the case;
3. take all necessary measures to guarantee Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche’s physical and psychological integrity, and, more generally, that of all of Guatemala’s street children;
4. guarantee that Sandra receive adequate reparation;
5. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- S.E. Lic. Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, 6a. Avenida «A» 4-18, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 238 3579 / 221 4423 / 221 4537 E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
- S. E. Sr. Byron Barrientos, Ministro de Gobernación, Ministerio de Gobernación, 6ª Avenida 4-64, Zona 4, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 362 0239
- Sr. Procurador de Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 238 17 34
- Sr. Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
- Sr. Rudio Lecsán Mérida, Director General de la Policía Nacional Civil, 6ª Avenida 13-71, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 251 9382
- Presidencia Comisión Presidencial de Derechos Humanos (Copredeh) E-mail : copredeh@guate.net
- Sr. Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 251 8445 E-mail : mint@mieno.gt
- Sr. Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 2 317084 S.E. Juan Francisco Reyes Lopez, Vicepresidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 2214537 or 230-1508 E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
Please also write to the embassies of Guatemala in your respective country.
Geneva, 19th June, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to case GTM 160501.CC/VAW
Violence against women
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Guatemala.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of private policeman Juan Francisco López Cano for the rape and attempted murder of 18 year-old street girl Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche.
According to the information received, last week agents from the Sexual Crimes and Criminal Investigation Service of the national civil police arrested the accused in zone 11 of Guatemala City. Investigations concerning the other suspect in the case are continuing.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, an 18 year-old girl was raped and shot in the throat in the early hours of 9 May 2001, in Guatemala City, by two private policemen from the Galil security guard company. The victim, a street child named Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche, was in an abandoned building at the corner of 6th Avenue and 24th street in Zone 4 of Guatemala City with several other children when two armed men entered the building and demanded that the children give them drugs or a girl with whom to have sex, while threatening them with their guns. The men then closed in on Sandra, put a gun to her head and took her away to the adjacent former Banco de la Vivienda (BANVI) building, which the men were supposed to be guarding.
According to the other children, who will remain anonymous for their own safety, the men took Sandra up to the third floor of the BANVI building and kept her there for 30-45 minutes. During this time, Sandra was reportedly raped by the policeman wearing plain clothes, while the uniformed policeman held her down. The men then shot Sandra in the throat after she cried out for help, and left her there bleeding profusely.
One of the street children called for an ambulance after the men had left, and ten minutes later Sandra was transported to the San Juan de Dios hospital in a critical condition, where she underwent emergency surgery. Fortunately, the bullet missed her artery and bones, and she is now out of danger. She has subsequently been released into Casa Alianza’s care.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Guatemala urging them to:
1. bring Juan Francisco López Cano before the relevant Tribunal to be tried for rape and attempted murder;
2. continue the necessary enquiries in order to arrest and prosecute the other suspect in the case;
3. take all necessary measures to guarantee Sandra Herlinda Ponceano Ichiche’s physical and psychological integrity, and, more generally, that of all of Guatemala’s street children;
4. guarantee that Sandra receive adequate reparation;
5. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- S.E. Lic. Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, 6a. Avenida «A» 4-18, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 238 3579 / 221 4423 / 221 4537 E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
- S. E. Sr. Byron Barrientos, Ministro de Gobernación, Ministerio de Gobernación, 6ª Avenida 4-64, Zona 4, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 362 0239
- Sr. Procurador de Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 238 17 34
- Sr. Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
- Sr. Rudio Lecsán Mérida, Director General de la Policía Nacional Civil, 6ª Avenida 13-71, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala – Guatemala. Fax: + 502 251 9382
- Presidencia Comisión Presidencial de Derechos Humanos (Copredeh) E-mail : copredeh@guate.net
- Sr. Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 251 8445 E-mail : mint@mieno.gt
- Sr. Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 2 317084 S.E. Juan Francisco Reyes Lopez, Vicepresidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 2214537 or 230-1508 E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
Please also write to the embassies of Guatemala in your respective country.
Geneva, 19th June, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.