PUBLIC: AI Index: AMR 34/008/2008

Fear for safety: Aída del Rosario López Cordero (f), human rights defender

Human rights defender Aída del Rosario López Cordero, who has been involved in attempts to bring two police officers to justice for the rape of an indigenous woman, has been threatened and intimidated since the trial of one of the police officers began on 18 February.

Aída del Rosario López Cordero is the coordinator of the Women's Defence Office (Defensoría de la Mujer) at the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office (Procuraduría de Derechos Humanos) in Quiché department. Since February 2007 she has been publicising the case of indigenous woman Juana Méndez, who was raped while in police custody in 2005. Two police officers were charged with aggravated rape and abuse of authority in 2007. One of the officers has been arrested, but the other is on the run.   more »