On November 3, 2015 Radio Juventud staff, legal defense and supporters attended the hearing scheduled by the Sololá District Court to determine the legality of the radio. Last December 2014, Radio Juventud was raided by representatives of the Public Ministry and National Police which resulted in confiscation of all equipment and the community radio temporary shut down. Radio Juventud gathered with the Solola Indigenous Municipality and fought the case that resulted in a victory for the radio and all equipment was returned.
On July 2015, an appeal was presented by the Camara de Radiodifusión de Guatemala (Guatemalan Telecommunications Chamber) to overturn the court decision in December that favored Radio Juventud. The appeal gave the radio a 24-hour period to surrender its equipment to the District Court that would also schedule a hearing to re-determine the decision. The hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2015 was held yesterday in the Solola Disctrict Court where both the National Civil Police and the Public Ministry did not show up. Due to the absence of the two accusing parties, the judge re-scheduled the hearing for December 17, 2015 where he will make a decision on the case of Radio Juventud.
Radio Juventud staff and legal defense were not sure about the absence of the Public Ministry and National Police as it was the same situation last December. Their absence won the case for Radio Juventud last year but the situation is different this year as both parties are aggressively demanding that the radio be shut down and the indigenous leaders held accountable for what they consider an “illegal” act. Radio Juventud staff and supporters are determined to attend the hearings and fight for their rights no matter how long it takes.
