UN rights official expresses concern over murdered Guatemalan activist

A senior United Nations rights official has expressed grave concern over the recent murder of a human rights activist in Guatemala.

The Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, today said he was gravely concerned by the murder Wednesday of a Guatemalan human rights activist, José Israel López.

Mr. Ramcharan was informed of the incident during a meeting in Geneva with Dr. Sergio Morales, Guatemala's new Procurador de Derechos Humanos. Dr. Morales confirmed that Mr. Lopez, who was representing the Procurador in Chimaltenango, some sixty kilometres west of Guatemala City, had been murdered.

Mr. Ramcharan has urged the Guatemalan authorities to undertake a full investigation of the incident. He also expressed hope that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.