Arbitrary Executions These are the violations of the right to life of the civilian population and of military or guerrilla combatants out of action, thus violating the rights inherent to any human being, accredited by international regulations of human rights. They can be differentiated as individual, collective and massive arbitrary executions. The first one takes place when there is only one victim; the second one when the number of victims is two; and the third one when in the same event the number of victims is three or more; in this case it is catalogued as a massacre. The article no. 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 establishes that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”. International regulations on human rights matters establish the right to life and forbid the arbitrary privation of this.
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In the same way, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights created in 1966 establishes in its Article 6 that “Every human being has the inherent right to life…no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life”. In the same way, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights created in 1966 establishes in its Article 6 that “Every human being has the inherent right to life…no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life”.In its article 2 the Covenant states that each state party “undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant” (CEH volume II p. 325). In terms of international humanitarian or armed conflict law, the Geneva Conventions, created in 1949, Common Article 3, forbid at any time and in any place “violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture” against all persons taking no active part in the hostilities, i.e. the civil population.The same regulations apply to “members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause” (CEH volume II p. 326). |
The CEH documented 23,671 arbitrary executions; FAFG has performed the exhumation of skeletal remains of victims from this type of violations, e.g. the following cases: FAFG-607 in Janlay, Nebaj; FAFG-725 in Tunajá, Zacualpa; and FAFG-745 in Xoaxan, Chinique, all in Quiché. The U.N.-sponsored truth commission, the Historical Clarification Commission (Comisión de Esclarecimiento Histórico, CEH), defines three types of massacres: Selective Massacre: Victims are individually considered and selected for killing. |
