Edwin Choc and Martín Chub are local leaders in Alta Verapaz and members of the Comité Campesino del Altiplano– CCDA (the Farmer’s Committee of the Highlands), a human rights organisation that promotes the development of farmer and indigenous communities in Guatemala. CCDA has advocated for the rights of the indigenous communities against the advances of landowners on their ancestral territories and demanded better policies in favour of rural development. In 2017, CCDA reported 12 forced displacements of indigenous and farmers families from their land. CCDA is an organization member of the International Land Coalition (ILC). The Presidential Commission of the Permanent Dialogue (Comisión Presidencial de Diálogo Permanente) convened a meeting with them and other community representatives on 14 August 2018. When the meeting ended, several police officials were waiting outside the building. The police officers cornered a small group of CCDA members and, without presenting any arrest warrants, proceeded to beat and violently arrest the defenders. While a few of them were able to escape the attack, Edwin Choc and Martín Chub were detained.