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UN human rights chief hails genocide conviction of former Guatemalan leader

14 May 2013 03:31 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. UN high commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay on Monday welcomed Friday's conviction of Guatemala's former president Jose Efrain Rios Montt for genocide and crimes against humanity, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Rios Montt, 86, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the first crime, and 30 years in prison for the second. The former president, who took power after a coup in 1982, was charged of being the "intellectual author" of killing 1,771 people in the Quiche department of Guatemala.

"Navi Pillay said that Guatemala has made history by becoming the first country in the world to convict a former head of State for genocide in its own national court," Nesirky said at a daily news briefing.

"She paid tribute to the victims, relatives and survivors whose courage and perseverance made this possible, as well as the lawyers, prosecutors and judges who carried out their duties under difficult circumstances in the face of serious threats and intimidation," he said.