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OPEN LETTER
CICIG AND THE CASE OF BITKOV FAMILY
Guatemala August 10, 2018
The Honorable Mr. Luis Edmundo Arreaga
Ambassador of The United States of America to Guatemala
The Embassy of The United States of America to Guatemala
Avenida De La Reforma 7-01, Zona 10
Guatemala, Guatemala.
Dear Honorable Ambassador,
We refer to the last developments in the United States regarding the case of our family that consists of three Russian immigrants: Igor Bitkov, Irina Bitkova, Anastasia Bitkova and the Guatemalan born Vladimir Bitkov (a Guatemalan citizen aged six). We would like to advise Your Excellency (As you is one of those supporting CICIG in Guatemala) that the U.S. Helsinki Commission (Reference 1), the Committee of International Affairs of the Senate of US (Reference 2) and the creator of the Global Magnitsky Act – Bill Browder, as well as some US congressmen, have called for an investigation into the collusion between CICIG, Guatemalan judges, public prosecutors and the government of Russian Federation – that are responsible for executing continuous violations of human rights of all the members of our family.
The U.S. Congress has frozen U.S. financial support for CICIG (6 million dollars, reference 3 and 3.1), and it has been determined necessary that the General Inspector of the Government of US should form a team to lead a more extensive investigation into the activities of CICIG, especially into alleged collusion between Kremlin and CICIG in the political persecution of our family.
Therefore, we feel personally responsible to humbly ask Your Excellency to be prepared for surprises in respect to CICIG, judges, magistrates, prosecutors and lawyers that are involved in the “Bitkov” case, and that have culminated in the malign activities giving the prison sentences of 19 years for Igor Bitkov, 14 years for Irina Bitkova, 14 years for Anastasia Bitkova for supposed “passport violations”. The actions of the Guatemalan authorities also violated the human rights of our son, Vladimir. We believe that the truth about our case is finally going to come to light.
It is painfully obvious that CICIG has abused its mandate given by UN, which was intended to strengthen the Justice System in Guatemala, not to persecute families of immigrants like ours.
Thank you for your support.
IGOR BITKOV
IRINA BITKOVA
ANASTASIA BITKOVA
VLADIMIR BITKOV BITKOVA (6 YEARS OLD)
(Reference 1)
Emergency audience of the Helsinki Commission on Friday, 27th of April of 2018 – 9:15am – Office Building of the house Rayburn, room 2172 – Washington, DC, United States
(Reference 2)
Part I Audience of the Committee of International Affairs of the Senate of United States – 11th of July of 2018
Part II Audience of the Committee of International Affairs of the Senate of United States – 11th of July of 2018
(Reference 3)
Citing Bitkov Family’s Mistreatment, Rubio Places Hold on U.S. Funds to International Commission on Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG)
(Reference 3.1)
The U.S. Congress has frozen U.S. financial support for CICIG (6 million dollars for the Bitkov case)
