Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983 — one of the bloodiest periods in the Central American nation’s civil war. The conviction and sentencing on Friday mark a significant step toward justice for the Maya Achi Indigenous women, who were sexually abused by pro-government armed groups during a time of intense conflict between the military and left-wing rebels that left as many as 200,000 people dead or missing.

Former Civil Self-Defence Patrol members Pedro Sanchez, Simeon Enriquez, and Felix Tum were found guilty of crimes against humanity for sexually assaulting six members of the Maya Achi community, Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos said. “The women recognized the perpetrators, they identified the locations where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,” she said, praising the women’s bravery for coming forward and testifying repeatedly in court. (Aljazeera)