Guatemala: Waiting. Snapshots from Ríos Montt genocide trial courtroom, verdict imminent

Photo: Xeni Jardin

[Guatemala City] — Above: Elena Caba Ijom of Nebaj, El Quiché, Guatemala, reads news about the trial as all of us in the courtroom here await a verdict in the genocide trial of Rios Montt and Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez.

The judges are expected to announce their decision at 4pm local time, despite new calls for annulment from a lower court.

Ms. Caba Ijom told this reporter she was 8 years old when her entire family was killed by the Army in 1982. Soldiers then tied her hands and feet and threw her into a river, breaking her legs.

"I survived," she said.

Photo: Xeni Jardin

There are well over a hundred Ixil here, many reporters from Guatemalan and foreign press, international observers, and supporters of co-defendants Ríos Montt and Rodriguez Sanchez.

The former US-backed dictator and his then-chief of intelligence are charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Both men say they are innocent.

Photo: Xeni Jardin

Above, Maria Sajiq (L) and Ana Laynez Herrera of Nebaj, Quiché, Guatemala (R). Ms. Sajiq was among the survivors Miles O'Brien and I interviewed in Nebaj recently, for a PBS NewsHour report.

Here are more snapshots I’ve tweeted from the Ríos Montt genocide trial.  And, here are more on Instagram.  


FOLLOW THE TRIAL ONLINE:

Follow the proceedings with live-tweets from the courtroom by NISGUA, Plaza Publica, and the OSIJ's trial monitoring account.

You can also follow them and others on this Twitter list I made.

Watch live video feed here or listen to live audio feed here.


PREVIOUSLY ON BOING BOING

Guatemala coverage archives

1983 "MacNeil/Lehrer Report" on debate over military aid to Ríos Montt's regime

1982 MacNeil/Lehrer on reports Ríos Montt committed atrocities against Ixil Maya

• "I am innocent," Ríos Montt tells court in genocide trial, breaking silence
Ríos Montt trial enters final phase, 75 years sought for genocide, crimes against humanity
The science behind historic genocide trial of General Ríos Montt: PBS NewsHour video report
Guatemalan Government declares State of Siege after Mining Protests: PBS NewsHour video report
PBS NewsHour reporter's notebook: Guatemala—Why We Cannot Turn Away