Dear friends,
On the 2nd February 2011 our friend Víctor Leiva, known as “el Mono”, left the cultural center where he was taking dance classes. Moments later a firearm cut his life short.
Víctor was 24 years old when he was murdered. He was an artist and human rights defender, focusing particularly on the rights of young people, with whom he also worked.
This deplorable act of violence was condemned by civil society and national and international human rights organizations.
A letter sent to Guatemala's Public Prosecutor on the 2nd August 2011, marking six months since his death and requesting the prompt investigation of his murder, was signed by 44 organizations and over 400 individuals from 26 countries.
Nevertheless, nearly a year after his murder, the circumstances
surrounding his death have
yet to be fully investigated.For this reason, institutional and individual signatures are currently being collected for the attached letter, which will be published in the Guatemalan media on the 2nd February 2012. It is hoped that even more signatures will be received than in the previous action, to show that the murder of young human rights defenders like Víctor cannot remain in a state of impunity.
You can sign by emailing quevivavictor@yahoo.com or by signing online at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/que-viva-victor/ before the 28th January 2012. (Please indicate your country!)
In solidarity,
Friends of Víctor Leiva
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PLEASE SIGN THIS CARD AND SEND YOUR FIRMS BY EMAILING
quevivavictor@yahoo.com and copy to espoirchiapas@msn.com
Guatemala,
February 2, 2012
Open
letter addressed to the Attorney General of Guatemala, Doctor Claudia
Paz y Paz Bailey
Doctor Claudia Paz y Paz Bailey
Attorney General of the Republic of Guatemala
15thAvenue 15-16, 8thlevelZone1, Gerona Neighborhood Guatemala City Guatemala
Dear
Attorney General,
February
2, 2011, the young artist Víctor
Leiva, left
the cultural center where he was taking dance classes. Moments later,
in the center of downtown Guatemala City, Victor was shot dead. Today
marks the year anniversary of his murder, and the circumstances of
his death still are not fully known.
Víctor
–known as “elMono”(“the Monkey”)–was an artist, promoter of culture, human rights defender focused on the rights of young people, and founding member of the collective Caja Lúdica.
He was an inspiration to the young people with whom he worked. One friend remembers him:
“He was a great person, he was always very affectionate, very happy,
outraged by the reality of life in Guatemala, he was passioned about
creating art: we remember him as a companion - happy, full of life,
and irreverent.”
This terrible act of violence generated a wave of indignation and rejection in
Guatemalan civil society, and was condemned by various artistic
organizations, as well as national and international human rights
organizations.
We, the organizations and individuals undersigned, recognizing your lengthy
professional career and commitment to human rights and justice, ask
that you to carry out a prompt, exhaustive and efficient
investigation; in order to identify, bring to trial, and sentence
those responsible for the violent death of our companion and friend,
Víctor Leiva.
Sincerely,
