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January 27, 2012

Former Guatemalan Dictator Faces Trial 
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In Guatemala, former military dictator Efrain Rios Montt has been
ordered to stand trial on accusations of genocide and other crimes
during his 17-month long rule. Montt seized power in 1982 in a military
coup and has been accused of overseeing the murders of 17,000 political
opponents and dissidents. On Thursday, a Guatemalan judge ruled there's
sufficient evidence for Montt to face charges for a single massacre of
indigenous peasants. Outside the courtroom, protesters demanded that
Montt be tried.

Juana Alicia Tiquira: "We want justice because these cases cannot remain
unpunished. There are thousands and thousands of brothers, children, men
and women who were massacred during the internal armed conflict and what
we are asking now is justice. We are all present here; it doesn't matter
if it's hot or cold, we want justice."

Montt has been placed under house arrest until a preliminary hearing in
March.



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