Needed: Immediate support for the security of Mr. Jorge López Sologaitoa, a noted human rights defender and director of OASIS, and for the security of participants in the XIII Sexual Diversity and Gender Identity Pride Parade that will be held this Saturday, June 29, beginning at 2 pm in Guatemala City, There is particular concern given the highly threatening public statements by  the right, since the genocide case and more recently expressions by the religious right after the OAS met in Antigua Guatemala recently and passed a resolution regarding human rights of the GLBT community. Also Jorge has charged the Guatemalan President with hate crimes, increasing Jorge’s vulnerability

DRAFT

Example of a letter to Guatemala’s Human Rights Ombudsman. Please feel free to adapt it according to your institutional or individual styles.

June 27, 2013

Señor Procurador de los Derechos Humanos de Guatemala

Licenciado Jorge Eduardo de León Duque

12 Avenida, 12-54 zona 1

Ciudad de Guatemala, 01001 Guatemala

dramirez@pdh.org.gt; grismaza@hotmail.com

Dear Mr. León Duque:

 

Ref: EXP.ORD.GUA.33592013/DE

 

I greet you in the name of… Our organization is…

 

I write to express our deep concern for the security of Mr. Jorge López Sologaitoa, a noted human rights defender and director of OASIS, and for the security of participants in the XIII Sexual Diversity and Gender Identity Pride Parade that will be held this Saturday, June 29, beginning at 2 pm in Guatemala City.

 

We are aware that, unfortunately, a very negative atmosphere has developed around communities of sexually diverse people in Guatemala. Unfortunately, some political and religious leaders have used their social positions to promote hatred towards sexual minority people.

 

On June 26, making use of his legal rights, the director of OASIS presented a formal discrimination complaint for human rights violations that have been committed by the President and Minister of Foreign Relations through their public declarations that limit and betray the rights authorized by the Constitution. A complaint against the Vice-President says that she violated human rights by means of omission, given that she remained indifferent in the face of declarations from the Ministry that she coordinates.

 

The director of OASIS, Mr. López, said that his only goal is to ensure that rights that have been violated be restored and that he is not considering any criminal action against the officials.

 

We are concerned that the Municipality of Guatemala has indicated that it will not offer support for the parade that is planned for this Saturday, despite the fact that the parade has the authorization of the Governor of Guatemala City. After recent discriminatory declarations by the President, several incidents have occurred that place LGBT people at risk.

 

We are concerned that the atmosphere in Guatemala has become more dangerous for human rights defenders during the past year. For this reason, we ask you, as Human Rights Ombudsman, to be attentive to the events that unfold over the course of this weekend and that you support the work of human rights defenders like Mr. Jorge López Sologaistoa.

 

As an organization that has accompanied the people of Guatemala during their decades of struggle to achieve peace and respect for their human rights, we always appreciate the efforts by offices such as the one you represent to expand civil participation and to protect the must vulnerable people in Guatemalan society.

 

Sincerely

…