POSITION PAPER

Committee: UNHRC

Agenda: Human Rights violations against activists and journalists.

Country: Guatemala

Despite numerous prevention, protection, monitoring and complaint mechanisms,

journalists and Activists continue to be targeted at an alarming rate. It seems nearly
daily there are reports on attacks against a journalist or an activist somewhere in
the world. The latest case of the Saudi journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi killed
in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey has once again served to highlight the
dangers many journalists face. But it isn’t just killings that affect them. There has
been an increase in unlawful detention, arrests, constant threats and harassment are
on the rise.

The delegate of Guatemala feels that this agenda focuses on the protection of
people during the times of protests. The delegate feels that the very basic rights of
humans, such as the right to protest, right to choose, right to prevention against
torture, right to life and the right to protection against arbitary detention are being
violated with accordance to the articles 3, 9, 10 and 5 of the UDHR(Universal
Declaration of Human Rights), and the articles 6(1) and 7 of the
ICCPR(International Convent on Civil and Political Rights). The delegate of
Guatemala strongly feels that if this issue is left out of hand, could create a total
chaos and the rights of many innocent people would be endangered. The delegate
feels that the committee should be focusing on how to protect people against
torture during the times of peaceful protests and also protection of people against
arbitary detention. The committee should collectively come up with proper
strategies to prevent the violations of such rights, such as developing a legal
framework to prohibit torture. A strong legal framework to prohibit torture is a
critical componenet of any torture prevention strategies. In Guatemala, practices of
torture had been entrenched in the security forces, penitentiary system and in
various strands of public power, which the democratic government was taking
steps to address. The law to establish a torture prevention mechanism at national
and local levels had been adopted in 2012.

Also the delegate wishes to shed light in the committee about the resolution
A/HRC/RES/38/11 which was adopted by the UNHRC on the 6th of july 2018
towards the protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests. With
regards to arbitrary detentions, the delegate suggests that the governments prohibit
orders from superior officers or public authorities authorizing or inciting other
persons to carry out any arbitrary or summary executions. All persons should have
the right and the duty to defy such orders. Training of law enforcement officials
shall emphasize the above provisions.