29 February 2024
On 26 February, the eighth anniversary of the Sepur Zarco case sentencing was commemorated. During the Guatemalan civil war (1960-1996), in the military base of Sepur Zarco, 15 indigenous q’eqchi’ women were forced to clean the soldiers’ clothes, cook, and serve them without pay, while being subjected to physical and sexual abuse for months or sometimes years on end, receiving anti-contraceptive pills and injections to prevent pregnancies.
The Sepur Zarco trial in 2016 was the first time that a military officer and a military commissioner were convicted by a Guatemalan court of sexual violence and sexual and domestic slavery as forms of crimes against humanity committed against 15 Q’eqchi’ indigenous women.
One of the reparation measures granted in this sentence was the establishment of 26 February as the National Day for Victims of Sexual Violence, Sexual and Domestic Slavery – which is a measure that has not yet been fulfilled. As a symbolic gesture, the Government of Guatemala held an event in commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the ruling, through the Presidential Commission for Peace and Human Rights (COPADEH in Spanish). This event was coordinated with the lawyers’ organisation, Mujeres Transformando el Mundo (Women Transforming the World), one of the plaintifs in the case, and UN Women.
Demecia Yat, a survivor of sexual violence, highlighted that women are still waiting for reparations measures and that the biggest obstacle is the long-standing fight for land rights by the Alta Verapaz communities:
“It is essential that the land issue be resolved, if not, we will not have the school or hospital [established in the measures]”.
For her part, Vice President Karin Herrera recognized the bravery of the survivors in their search for justice and reparation. She also highlighted her commitment to continue fighting for women and against sexual violence.
This event, alongside the commemoration of the National Day of Dignity of the Victims of the Armed Conflict by the Guatemalan government were significant. For the survivors of Sepur Zarco, this is the first time that an official event has been held to commemorate the anniversary of the sentence, or any case of transitional justice.
Impunity Watch’s team in Guatemala participated in all the events and reaffirmed its commitment to continue working in favour of the rights of victims to truth, justice, and transformative reparations.
Learn more: Our work in Guatemala