2025 SIR HENRY BROOKE AWARD RECOGNISES MS VIRGINIA LAPARRA
The recipient of the 2025 Sir Henry Brooke Award was Ms Virginia Laparra, a former senior prosecutor and head of the Special District Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI) in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, who was arrested on 23 February 2022 in the context of arbitrary persecution against former FECI prosecutors and members of the International Commission against Impunity (CICIG).
The award ceremony was held on Monday 3 February 2025 at the Broadgate offices of A&O Shearman. It was attended by more than 100 guests, including some of the UK’s most senior judges and distinguished representatives from the British and international legal communities, who came together in London to recognise the extraordinary work of Ms Laparra.
The ceremony was hosted by the President of the Alliance, Mr Dominic Grieve KC who welcomed the Rt Hon Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, former President of the UK Supreme Court, as the keynote speaker.
Lord Neuberger’s speech focused on the vital importance of the rule of law and highlighted Ms Laparra’s courage and enormous sacrifice in its defence.
The keynote speech was delivered by the Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, former President of the UK Supreme Court
Following his speech, Lord Neuberger presented the 2025 Sir Henry Brooke Award to Ms Laparra.
Lord Neuberger presents Ms Virginia Laparra with the 2025 Sir Henry Brooke Award
Ms Laparra’s acceptance speech emphasised the efforts and perseverance of not only herself, but also her colleagues in Guatemala and around the globe who fight each day to uphold the rule of law. It was fully deserving of the overwhelming ovation it received.
Ms Laparra delivers her powerful acceptance speech
Nominations for the 2025 Sir Henry Brooke Award were assessed by an independent selection panel comprising Professor Christine Chinkin, Lord Carnwath, Sir Patrick Elias, Maya Lester KC and Lizzette Robleto de Howarth.
The 2025 Award: Ms Laparra’s work
The Award recognises Ms Laparra’s long-term work against corruption and organised crime in Guatemala and her dedicated commitment to upholding the rule of law, as well as her enormous sacrifice during and after her prosecution and imprisonment in Guatemala.
In 2016, Ms Laparra was appointed head of FECI in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala’s second largest city. She was responsible for the criminal prosecution of cases involving high-level corruption, including such matters as an investigation into municipal officials who had been accused of defrauding the state of approximately US$10 million.
In 2018, as part of this investigation, FECI and CICIG filed several administrative complaints against Judge Lesther Castellanos of the High-Risk Court in Quetzaltenango, including a complaint that Judge Castellanos had improperly disclosed confidential information relating to a sealed corruption investigation, as well as accessing information relating to cases that did not fall within his competence or jurisdiction. The Board of Judicial Discipline subsequently sanctioned Judge Castellanos with a five‑day suspension from duties.
In retaliation, Judge Castellanos filed criminal complaints against Ms Laparra in Quetzaltenango and Guatemala City for abuse of authority, alleging that she had not received authorisation from her superiors to file the administrative complaints against him. Several of Ms Laparra’s colleagues, including prosecutors, magistrates and former judges, were similarly persecuted.
In 2022, Ms Laparra was convicted on charges of abuse of authority and sentenced to four years in prison, following a trial riddled with procedural irregularities and serious violations of due process and the rule of law.
After 22 months of imprisonment, most of which was spent in solitary confinement, Ms Laparra was finally released to house arrest in January 2024. With further criminal proceedings yet ongoing, Ms Laparra sought asylum in Mexico where she now lives in exile.
Throughout the terrible hardships that Ms Laparra has faced, and the enormous sacrifices she has had to make, she has remained a strong advocate for justice and the rule of law at the cost of her own personal security and safety. Her dedication and courage serve as inspiration for lawyers around the globe.
The 2025 Sir Henry Brooke Award ceremony was generously sponsored by A&O Shearman and Fountain Court Chambers.
Video presenting Ms Laparra’s work
NOMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT
The selection Committee has chosen Ms Virginia Laparra Rivas as the recipient of the 2025 Sir Henry Brooke award. The Committee was especially impressed by Ms Rivas’ long-term work against corruption and organised crime in Guatemala, which led to her imprisonment for “ongoing abuse of authority”, and dedicated commitment to upholding the rule of law.
The award will be presented by The Rt. Hon. Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury at a ceremony in London in February 2025.
THE AWARD
The Sir Henry Brooke Award is the annual award made by the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk that aims to honour a legal practitioner or human rights defender who, through personal endeavour in the course of his or her practice in a challenging environment, made an outstanding contribution to the promotion, protection and advancement of human rights and the rule of law. Through the Award, the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk publicly celebrates the work and achievements of lawyers at risk and validates their essential and often invisible contribution to the defence of human rights. Former award winners include Adil José Meléndez Marquez, Donald Hernandez, Maricela Vazquez, Carla Palacios, Dina Meza, Reinaldo Villalba, Naomi Barasa and Daniel Prado. The Award is named after, and honours the life and legacy of, the late founder of the Alliance, Sir Henry Brooke. Sir Henry Brooke was a man of remarkable conviction, integrity and generosity whose life and career was characterised by his tireless commitment to justice, equality and human rights.
