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Claudia Samayoa
Claudia Virginia Samayoa Pineda (born 23 January 1967) is a Guatemalan activist and human rights defender (HRDs) who has been fighting since the 1980s for justice, peace and the right to education in Guatemala and in countries of the Central America region. She is the founder and Director of UDEFEGUA (Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala).

Biography
Claudia Virginia Samayoa Pineda was born on 23 January 1967 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. At age 17, she started working on human rights issues. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.

Career
Claudia founded the UDEFEGUA in 2000. Her organisation supports the work of human rights defenders in preventing and responding to security risks, through monitoring, verification and advocacy. She is a current member of Convergencia por los Derechos Humanos (link) since 2005 and a member of the Board of Directors of the World Organisation against Torture. (link) Currently she works full time as a Researcher in Human Rights.

Awards

 * In 2016, Claudia was granted the National Human Rights Award "Orden Myrna Mack Chang" by the Human Rights Ombudsman of Guatemala from the Attorney General Jorge de León Duque.
 * In November 2013, she was awarded the Alice Zachmann Award for Human Rights Defenders, awarded by Guatemalan Human Rights Commission to UDEFEGUA.
 * In October 2014, the Letelier-Moffit Award given for the work of the Mesoamerican Initiative of Human Rights Defenders, Washington. In Chicago, March, 2007, the XVII Otto René Castillo Annual Human Rights Award was granted by Casa Guatemala.
 * At the 40th anniversary of ASTRAEA (Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice) in 2017, Claudia was awarded the visionary activist prize

In popular culture
About the situation On 21 April 2013, the Foundation Against Terrorism, an organisation set up by former military officials and military supporters, published a document accusing Claudia Samayoa of trying to blame the National Civil Police for violent clashes with local community. The human rights defender had previously been the victim of threats and defamatory statements.