In a landmark ruling, a Guatemalan court has sentenced three ex-paramilitaries to 40 years in prison for the sexual abuse of six Indigenous women during the peak of the civil war's brutality. This marks the second verdict in the well-known Mujeres Achí case, spotlighting the atrocities committed against these women.

During the trial, Pedrina Ixpatá Rodríguez, one of the victims from the 1983 assaults, recounted her harrowing experience. "I was thrown into a room [in the military base], where soldiers entered and violated me... My body hurt, my waist ached... I suffered a miscarriage because they impregnated me," she testified with raw emotion.

Ixpatá, hailing from the Indigenous town of Rabinal in Alta Verapaz, was detained for 25 days alongside her cousin Paulina Ixpatá and other women. They endured relentless interrogations, torture, and ongoing sexual abuse.

Judge María Eugenia Castellanos highlighted the immense courage it took for Ixpatá to testify, stating, "Her testimony was invaluable; these are crimes of solitude, crimes that stigmatize women, making it incredibly difficult for them to speak about their violation. The stigma extends not only to the victim but to her family as well."

The convicted former paramilitaries, Pedro Sánchez Cortez, Simeón Enríquez Gómez, and Félix Tum Ramírez, were sentenced for crimes against humanity involving sexual violence. They will remain under house arrest until their sentences are finalized, as decreed by the court.

The trial commenced on January 28 of this year, with substantial evidence presented, including 12 witness testimonies, 10 expert reports, 139 documents, and seven compact discs containing videos and documents.

This case originated from complaints filed by 36 victims between 2011 and 2015 against former military personnel and civil defense patrol members, accusing them of sexual violence. The first trial in January 2022 saw five former patrol members sentenced to 30 years for similar offenses.

At the conclusion of the trial, the courtroom erupted in applause for the verdict, while outside, banners demanding justice were displayed, and human rights advocates eagerly awaited the women to celebrate the ruling.

Lucía Xiloj, an attorney for the victims, remarked, "This is a significant step for the Mujeres Achí and all women who have suffered sexual violence. It was the outcome we hoped for, confirming the involvement of collaborators, which increased the sentence by 10 years."

According to a statement from Impunity Watch and Mujeres Achí, this trial was pivotal in demonstrating how the Guatemalan military used sexual violence as a weapon during the internal armed conflict. The first case addressing these crimes was Sepur Zarco, which achieved favorable sentences for victims in 2016.