8 July 2025. The undersigned human rights organisations address the Guatemalan authorities and national and international public opinion to express our deep concern and active solidarity ahead of the court hearing scheduled for 9 July 2025 against lawyer and human rights defender Ramón Cadena Rámila, in the case described by the Public Prosecutor’s Office as “Botín Político USAC”.
Mr Cadena and others linked to this case are due to appear before the Tenth Court of First Instance for Criminal Matters in Guatemala, presided over by Judge Víctor Cruz. It is a first statement hearing, which could pave the way for criminal prosecution in a context of criminalisation and judicial harassment clearly motivated by his human rights defence work and legal support to university students.
Ramón Cadena is a prominent Guatemalan human rights lawyer, internationally recognised for his work in defending human rights, particularly in cases involving the rights of Indigenous peoples and communities, land rights, and environmental justice. He served as Director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) for Central America for more than 14 years, supporting several human rights organisations and legal defence groups in Guatemala. In 2016, Mr Cadena’s home was raided in connection with his work as a lawyer. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) subsequently granted him precautionary measures (IACHR 661-16), which remain in effect to this day.
On 16 November 2023, the Public Prosecutor’s Office issued 31 search warrants and 27 arrest warrants targeting students, academic staff, human rights defenders, and lawyers, under charges of “aggravated usurpation on a continuous basis”, “destruction of cultural property on a continuous basis”, “sedition on a continuous basis” and “unlawful association”, in the context of the peaceful occupation of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (USAC). Within this context, an arrest warrant was issued against Mr Cadena under case number C-01070-2023-00023 MPE01-2023-39575-MP001-2022-5005, due to his legal advisory role to students during this collective act of resistance.
The criminal proceedings against him, alongside those targeting 27 other defenders, students and professionals from academic and social spheres, constitute a serious violation of the right to defend human rights, academic freedom and the right to peaceful protest. His criminalisation is a clear attempt to punish legal solidarity and human rights defence.
However, this case is not isolated. It forms part of a broader pattern of systematic judicial retaliation and criminalisation of human rights defence in the country, as identified by international human rights bodies - a pattern that has already led many defenders into situations of arbitrary detention or forced exile.
Ahead of this critical hearing, we call on the Guatemalan authorities to:
– Guarantee that the hearing on 9 July takes place effectively, publicly, and with full due process guarantees, in line with the principles of judicial independence and fair trial.
– Immediately end the criminalisation and judicial persecution of Mr Ramón Cadena and all human rights defenders and advocates of university autonomy linked to the USAC case.
– Definitively close this politically motivated criminal case aimed at intimidating those exercising their right to defend rights.
– Revoke all arrest warrants issued against individuals in exile due to their roles in legitimate social and academic processes.
– Implement effective policies for the protection and comprehensive reparation of criminalised defenders, including guarantees of non-repetition and safe return pathways for those currently outside the country.
The world is watching closely what happens on 9 July. International solidarity with Ramón Cadena and all human rights defenders in Guatemala.