Judge in Qatar issues decision in the case of Manuel Guerrero Aviña

Judge in Qatar issues decision in the case of Manuel Guerrero Aviña

• Since his detention, the Foreign Ministry has provided Mr. Guerrero with legal assistance, translators, support during hearings and help with medication, and has been in constant communication with his family and legal representative.
• Mr. Guerrero will leave Qatar in the coming days, following the suspension of his June 4 sentence.

The Foreign Ministry reports that a hearing was held on July 31 regarding the case of Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a British-Mexican citizen. Today, the judge issued his decision confirming the sentence imposed at the June 4 hearing.

In response, Mexico's Ambassador to Qatar, Guillermo Ordorica Robles, contacted Manuel Guerrero, who stated he would arrange his departure from Qatar in the coming days, with the assistance of his lawyer. As it has done since his arrest, the Mexican embassy will continue to provide support and follow-up until the case concludes.

Since March 17, Mr. Guerrero has been on provisional release. The case has been handled in coordination with the British Embassy in Qatar, due to his residence in that country as a British citizen. The Mexican Embassy has provided follow-up and support from the outset of the case: after his arrest, Mexican diplomatic personnel in Doha were the first to visit him, providing translation assistance, facilitating access to medication, putting him in contact with the lawyer representing him, and meeting with his family in Qatar on February 11 and March 10 and 16, respectively.

Mexican diplomatic staff, accompanied by his translator, visited him on February 6 and March 5 and 12, and met with him at the embassy on April 18 and 24, May 27, and on June 27 with his mother. These actions are in addition to the Foreign Ministry's ongoing contact with his family to keep them informed of the case's progress and outlook. Notably, the Mexican Embassy and the Foreign Ministry's Directorate General for Protection and Strategic Planning contacted health authorities to facilitate and send him sufficient medication for a six-month period.

The Foreign Ministry and the Mexican Embassy in Qatar acknowledge the valuable efforts made by their counterparts in London, Doha and Mexico City on behalf of Mr. Manuel Guerrero Aviña. The Foreign Ministry reaffirms its commitment to protecting and defending the rights and interests of Mexican citizens abroad, in keeping with its longstanding traditions and consular practices.