The Mutual Support Group Foundation
The Mutual Support Group Foundation (GAM) is a human rights organisation founded in Guatemala in 1984 by relatives of people detained and disappeared during the internal armed conflict. Since then, it has played a central role in the search for truth, justice and reparation, accompanying victims and fighting against impunity. With more than four decades of experience, GAM has established itself as one of the leading organisations in the country in the defence and promotion of human rights.
Its work focuses on documenting and reporting human rights violations, promoting transitional justice processes, preserving the GAM Historical Archive, and advocating for the rights of victims. GAM combines strategic litigation, human rights education, and social communication to raise awareness of the struggles for memory, truth, and justice in Guatemala.
However, GAM's work takes place in a high-risk environment. Throughout its history, its members have faced harassment, surveillance and smear campaigns, as well as criminalisation processes aimed at discrediting their work. Despite these attacks, GAM remains steadfast in its commitment to accompanying victims, preserving historical memory and defending human rights in Guatemala.
Since Otto Pérez Molina assumed the role of President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against HRDs have been on the rise. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security structures and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators increases the risk exponentially for HRDs.
