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Guatemala ex-soldier sentenced to 10 years by US court | Guatemala ex-soldier sentenced to 10 years by US court |
(about 11 hours later) | |
An ex-soldier from Guatemala has been sentenced by a United States court to 10 years in jail for having lied about his role in a killing in 1982. | An ex-soldier from Guatemala has been sentenced by a United States court to 10 years in jail for having lied about his role in a killing in 1982. |
Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, 55, was also stripped of his US citizenship. | Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes, 55, was also stripped of his US citizenship. |
He had been arrested in Canada in 2011, after having fled the US the year before. | He had been arrested in Canada in 2011, after having fled the US the year before. |
More than 200 people were killed in the Dos Erres massacre, one of the bloodiest episodes of Guatemala's 36-year-long civil war. | |
Sosa was found guilty of having omitted to mention his role in the Guatemalan army on his citizenship application papers. | Sosa was found guilty of having omitted to mention his role in the Guatemalan army on his citizenship application papers. |
The former soldier was part of the elite unit known as the Kaibiles, which stormed a village because it suspected residents of supporting or sheltering left-wing guerrillas. | |
Five convictions | Five convictions |
Over three days, the soldiers systematically killed hundreds of men, women and children, shooting or bludgeoning them to death and throwing bodies down a well. | Over three days, the soldiers systematically killed hundreds of men, women and children, shooting or bludgeoning them to death and throwing bodies down a well. |
In 2012, a court in Guatemala sentenced another former soldier to 6,060 years in prison for his role in the massacre. | In 2012, a court in Guatemala sentenced another former soldier to 6,060 years in prison for his role in the massacre. |
Pedro Pimentel Rios, 55, had been extradited from the US and became the fifth former soldier to be convicted for Dos Erres killings. | Pedro Pimentel Rios, 55, had been extradited from the US and became the fifth former soldier to be convicted for Dos Erres killings. |
The killing happened during the regime of Gen Efrain Rios Montt. | |
Last year, a court decided Gen Rios Montt, 87, should face a fresh trial for genocide and crimes against humanity in 2015. | Last year, a court decided Gen Rios Montt, 87, should face a fresh trial for genocide and crimes against humanity in 2015. |
Between 1982 and 1983, some of the country's worst civil war atrocities took place, such as the massacre of whole villages of indigenous Maya. | Between 1982 and 1983, some of the country's worst civil war atrocities took place, such as the massacre of whole villages of indigenous Maya. |
An estimated 200,000 people died in the conflict which ended in 1996. | An estimated 200,000 people died in the conflict which ended in 1996. |
Gen Rios Montt was convicted of genocide and war crimes in May 2013 and sentenced to 80 years in jail. | Gen Rios Montt was convicted of genocide and war crimes in May 2013 and sentenced to 80 years in jail. |
But the conviction was overturned by the constitutional court, which argued Gen Rios Montt had been denied due process. | But the conviction was overturned by the constitutional court, which argued Gen Rios Montt had been denied due process. |
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