Date: Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Time: 2:30 pm-4:00 pm, registration will begin at 2:00 pm
Venue: International Association of Women Judges
1800 Massachusetts Ave NW Suite 401, Washington, DC 20036
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Please note that space is limited.
Access to the event will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Guatemala’s fight for justice now stands at a crucial turning point. Its citizens face the aftermath of one of the region’s most brutal conflicts, as well as issues related to corruption, impunity, and widespread violence. These issues have forced Guatemalans to flee the country. Despite these challenges, Guatemala has achieved notable rule of law reforms and initiated extraordinary investigations into wartime crimes, as well as postwar corruption.
However, the current controversy regarding the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) reflects the extent to which this struggle has come to a head. Events in the coming days and weeks will determine whether Guatemala can break with the cycle of impunity and corruption and move toward stable, responsive, and accountable governance.
In October 2017, the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) conducted a justice system assessment in Guatemala with eight experts drawn from its membership of over fifty regional and international organizations of legal practitioners. The experts found serious rule of law concerns rooted in Guatemala’s history of conflict and inequality, and offered recommendations for how the justice system can be strengthened. ILAC experts will discuss their recommendations in light of recent developments in Guatemala at this event.
Opening remarks:
- Agneta Johansson, Executive Director, International Legal Assistance Consortium
- Mary McQueen, President, National Center for State Courts
- Hon. Vanessa Ruiz, President, International Association of Women Judges
Speakers:
- Nerea Aparicio, Director, Latin American and the Caribbean Division, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
- Mike Enwall, Individual Member of ILAC. Previously President of the Colorado Criminal Defence Bar and Chief Judge of the 20th Judicial District of the state of Colorado
- Luis María Palma, Member of the National Center for State Courts, Vice President of the Latin America chapter of the International Association for Court Administration, Director of the Center for Judicial Studies of the University of Buenos Aires and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Belgrano
- Carolina Valenzuela, Member of the International Association of Prosecutors, Crown Prosecutor in the Province of Alberta, Canada
- Rhodri Williams, Senior Legal Expert, ILAC
Moderator:
- Maria Claudia Pulido, Assistant Executive Secretary for Monitoring, Promotion and Technical Cooperation, Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR)
Follow this event on Twitter at #ILACReportGuatemala, @ILAC_rebuild.
This event is a joint effort of ILAC and its member organisations International Association of Women Judges and American Bar Association.
