CC CONFIRMS TRIAL OF ACCUSED ON EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING CHARGES

Guatemala, January 4, 2013. The Constitutional Court (CC) confirmed the decision to open oral proceedings on January 28 in the case concerning Víctor Hugo Soto Diéguez, Víctor Manuel Ramos Molina, Axel Arnoldo Martínez Arriaza, Francisco González Ibáñez, Nicolás Camajá Bach and Aldo Stefano Figueroa Díaz—all of whom are linked to the extrajudicial killings of a number of inmates of the El Infiernito prison in 2005.

Notification of the CC ruling was given on January 3. The ruling responded to an appeal filed by CICIG against the decision of the First Chamber of Appeals, which had provisionally extended amparo to Víctor Hugo Soto Diéguez, who had sought to use the amparo to stall the trial proceedings set to be opened against him. 

The amparo application was filed by the defense counsel against Court "B" of the First Instance of Criminal Sentencing for High-risk Matters, which set the trial for the aforementioned date against the six accused parties, who will face justice for the following:

Víctor Hugo Soto Diéguez and Víctor Manuel Ramos Molina, accused of the extrajudicial killing of Edwin Santacruz Rodríguez (in Río Hondo, department of Zacapa, November 3, 2005), Julián Morales Blanco and José María Maldonado Sosa (in Los Amates, department of Santa Rosa, December 1, 2005).

Axel Arnoldo Martínez Arriaza, Francisco González Ibáñez and Nicolás Camajá Bach: accused of the extrajudicial killing of Edwin Santacruz Rodríguez (in Río Hondo, department of Zacapa, November 3, 2005).

Aldo Stefano Figueroa Díaz, accused of illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition.

Background
Following the escape of nineteen inmates from the high-security prison El Infiernito (October 22, 2005), the accused and other former police officials executed the "Gavilán Plan" so as to locate the inmates who were absconding. Under this plan, extrajudicial killings were carried out.

Furthermore, this structure is linked with the extrajudicial killings of other fugitives from El Infiernito and seven inmates from the Pavón Prison, in events which took place on September 25, 2006. In these cases, among the accused are the following: former minister of the Interior, Carlos Vielmann; former PNC director, Erwin Sperisen; and former deputy director of PNC investigations, Javier Figueroa.