GUATEMALA: ILAAD BRINGS THE ARBITRARY DETENTION OF FORMER PROSECUTOR CAMPO AGUILAR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

The International League Against Arbitrary Detention (ILAAD), alongside Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA, have submitted a complaint to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Mr. Stuardo Ernesto CAMPO AGUILAR.

PROSECUTOR ARBITRARILY DETAINED DUE TO HIS POSITION

This action concerns the arbitrary detention of Guatemalan national, Stuardo Ernesto Campo Aguilar, a notary and former prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Guatemala, who has been subject to criminal sanctions in retaliation for his work at the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity (FECI) and the Prosecutor's Office Against Corruption (FCC).

On 26 May 2023, Mr. Campo Aguilar was arrested for the first time, on charges including abuse of authority, dereliction of duty, and denial of justice, allegedly committed during his tenure as anti-corruption prosecutor for the Public Ministry of the Republic of Guatemala, in connection with a case he investigated in the cours of his duties as head of the Prosecutor's Office Against Smuggling of Migrants, know as the Alfa Siete case. nown as the Alfa Siete case.

He was placed under house arrest on 29 August 2023 before being arrested again on 1 December 2023 on the same charges in connection with another case, the "Zolic" case.

On July 18, 2025, Judge Magda Martínez of the Tenth Criminal Sentencing Court acquitted Mr. Campo Aguilar of the crime of dereliction of duty in the first criminal proceeding linked to the Alfa Sete case. However, Mr. Campo remains in pretrial detention at the Mariscal Zavala Preventive Detention Center, in connection with the second criminal proceeding against him, related to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office's investigation into the "Zolic" case. Mr. Campo Aguilar faced discrimination due to his position, and his detention is without any legal basis. He spent more than two years in pretrial detention for exercising his right to participate in the conduct of public affairs as an anti-corruption prosecutor. Moreover, he has been denied his right to a fair trial as he did not have access to any materials regarding his case, and his proceedings occurred behind closed doors and after undue delay.

ACTIONS REQUESTED TO THE UN WORKING GROUP AGAINST ARBITRARY DETENTION

In these circumstances, ILAAD and Justice Abroad respectfully requested that the Working Group renders an opinion finding the deprivation of liberty against the victim to be arbitrary and falling within category I, II, III and V and:

• demand that the Government of Guatemala takes the necessary measures to remedy the situation of Mr Stuardo Ernesto Campo Aguilar without delay and bring it into line with the relevant international standards, including those set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Covenant;

  
  

• consider that, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, the appropriate remedy would be the immediate release of Mr Stuardo Ernesto Campo Aguilar and the granting of the right to obtain redress, including compensation, in accordance with international law;

  
  

• urge the Government of Guatemala to ensure that a thorough and independent investigation is carried out into the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary detention of Mr Stuardo Ernesto Campo Aguilar and to take appropriate action against those responsible for the violation of their rights;

• ask the Government of Guatemala to use all means at its disposal to disseminate the opinion concerning the applicants as widely as possible.

ILAAD recalls that the WGAD adopted other opinions in recent years concerning arbitrary detention in Guatemala of justice officials (Opinion No. 24/2023), which could characterise a recurrent pattern of arbitrary detention.