Sat May 31 04:47:45 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Landmark Ruling in Guatemala: Paramilitaries Sentenced for Wartime Rapes of Indigenous Women
**Guatemala City, Guatemala** – In a landmark decision hailed as “historic” by lawyers and advocates, a Guatemalan court on Friday sentenced three former paramilitaries to 40 years in prison each for the wartime rapes of six Maya Achi Indigenous women. The crimes occurred between 1981 and 1983 during one of the bloodiest periods of Guatemala’s civil war.
Pedro Sanchez, Simeon Enriquez, and Felix Tum, former members of the Civil Self-Defence Patrol, were found guilty of crimes against humanity for the sexual assaults. Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos praised the bravery of the women who repeatedly testified in court, stating, “The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity.”
The convictions mark a significant victory for the survivors, who have spent decades seeking justice for the atrocities committed against them during the conflict, which claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 people. Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey, representing the women, called the sentence “historic” because it finally acknowledged the long struggle of civil war survivors.
The verdict was met with applause from Maya Achi women in the courtroom, some dressed in traditional attire and others relying on interpreters. One 62-year-old victim expressed her happiness with the outcome.
While Pedro Sanchez maintained his innocence, Judge Marling Mayela Gonzalez Arrivillaga stated that there was no doubt regarding the credibility of the women’s testimonies.
This is the second conviction in the Maya Achi women’s case. In January 2022, five former paramilitaries were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their involvement. Advocacy group Impunity Watch highlighted that the case “highlights how the Guatemalan army used sexual violence as a weapon of war against Indigenous women.”
The ruling adds to a growing body of legal precedent in Guatemala acknowledging the use of sexual violence during the civil war. In 2016, two former military officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison for holding 15 Q’eqchi women as sex slaves. The sentencing of these paramilitaries offers a glimmer of hope and recognition for victims seeking justice and accountability for the horrific acts committed during Guatemala’s armed conflict.
First Piper 