After the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of the human rights defender and others. vs Guatemala 2014 (HP), Guatemala was forced to create protection measures for human rights defenders.
Previously, in 2004, the Coordinating Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Administrators and Operators of Justice, Journalists and Social Communicators was created in 2004. In 2008, it became a Department through Internal Agreement 85-2008 of the Presidential Commission for the Coordination of Executive Policy on Human Rights (COPREDEH). In fact, none of these structures became fully operational. In 2008, the Body for the Analysis of Attacks against Human Rights Defenders was created (through Ministerial Agreement No. 103-2008): its objective was to analyse the patterns of attacks against HRDs in the country. In 2016, an inter-institutional agreement was signed that kept the body in operation for two more years without having a regulatory framework in place. The purpose of this body was to analyse the patterns of attacks against HRDs in the country. In 2016, an inter-institutional agreement was signed, which kept the Body running for two more years without having a regulatory framework in place. In 2018, the government once again renewed the Analysis Body for another 4 years. Although the Instance has provided a forum for discussion of protection issues between government and civil society, several civil society organisations have withdrawn their participation in the Instance on several occasions in protest at its lack of functioning.
Agreement 061 of 2012 creates the Directorate of protection mechanisms for human rights defenders, administrators and operators of justice, journalists and social communicators, which is responsible for planning, organising and coordinating protection measures. However, it is unknown if it ever became operational.
On 3 April 2018, the base document approved by the Presidential Commission for the Coordination of Executive Policy on Human Rights (COPREDEH) was presented. This document will be the basis for consultation at the local level, so it is not a final document, but the starting point for public policy on the protection of human rights.
Updated 02/2020
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