Guayabo court case comes to a close

Closing statements regarding the criminal case against Guayabo community leaders will be heard on friday.
Facebook
Twitter
Email
WhatsApp
Print
Fifty community members stand on the grass, there is a police officer standing in the left of the frame. There are trees behind the group and a blue sky.

The criminal case against Guayabo community leaders Erik Payares, Jhon Fredy Ortega, and Santos Peña will come to a close this weekend. The judge has called the final testimonies to the stand, including CPT members who have been accompanying the process since 2013. 

Large landowners often accuse social leaders, which leads to drawn-out legal processes as a tactic to silence their work. The Guayabo community has been fighting this criminal case for five years. In 2013 Rodrigo Lopez Henao illegally occupied land in the community and hired armed thugs to destroy crops, kill animals, and threaten community members’ lives. False accusations against Erik, Jhon Fredy, and Santos resulted in their arrest in 2016. 

The court case has drawn on until now. This Friday, the closing statements will be made, and the judge will issue a decision by Sunday. Please pray for a fair and just decision and remember the community and the families affected by the criminalization and persecution against land defenders and human rights activists. 

Read More Stories

A roadside wall with an inscription that reads "human rights graveyard"

The “Deadly End” of migrant management

A report released by CPT-Aegean Migrant Solidarity documents the deaths of migrants in Moria’s Reception and Identification Centre between 2016 and 2020 in Lesvos, Greece.

A roadside wall with an inscription that reads "human rights graveyard"

Deadly End

A new report by CPT Aegean Migrant Solidarity documents the deaths of migrants and the Moria Reception and Identification Centre between 2016 and 2022.

Septermber Supper Fundraiser

Will you host a dinner party for CPT?

CPT really needs your support in raising $10k in September. Unfortunately, we are behind our financial targets and need your help. We want to dedicate the month of September to bringing people together around the dinner table. You can choose the date, who you invite and what you cook (though our teams have some great recipes prepared!) We’d love to hear if you’d be interested. 

There’s no commitment needed at this stage.

Skip to content