Authorities in Guatemala rescued at least 160 children from a Jewish sect following allegations of abuse and human trafficking.
Police raided the premises of the sect called Lev Tahor in Oratorio city, 78km southeast of the capital Guatemala City, on Friday after receiving complaints of widespread abuse of children, including rape, human trafficking and forced marriage, prosecutors said.
They took at least 160 minors and 40 women into protective custody.
The operation in the Santa Rosa region involved around 480 police personnel, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists who also seized electronic devices and searched for evidence of child pornography.
Regional prosecutor Dimas Jiménez y Jiménez said they were considering charges of human trafficking, mistreatment of minors, and rape.
“We suspect these crimes were committed by a member of the community,” he said.
Nancy Lorena Paiz García, a prosecutor in the Office Against Human Trafficking, said that police found bodies suspected to be of minors buried on the premises.
“We have no information that the sect has used the local cemeteries,” she said, “but we must investigate these possible deaths of minors.”
The operation was set in motion by the escape from the Jewish sect of four non-Guatemalan children in November who alerted authorities to the abuses.
“Based on the statements of the complainants, the evidence obtained and the medical examinations, it was possible to establish that there are forms of human trafficking against these minors, like forced marriages, abuse, and related crimes,” Ms Garcia said.
Lev Tahor, “Pure Heart” in Hebrew, was founded in Israel in 1988 and practices a strict interpretation of Jewish law. It has drawn international scrutiny over the years for alleged sexual abuses, kidnapping, child marriage, and physical violence.
The sect shifted its base to Mexico and Guatemala between 2014 and 2017 after facing mounting legal pressure elsewhere.
In 2022, Mexican authorities rescued children from a Lev Tahor camp near the Guatemalan border and detained its members suspected of abusing minors.
The operation in Oratorio adds to the sect’s troubled history. Prosecutors allege that minors in the sect were subjected to forced marriages and systematic abuse, often under the guise of religious doctrine. The children are under government protection while investigations continue.
The Jewish Community of Guatemala distanced itself from Lev Tahor, saying the sect was foreign to its organisation. It expressed support for authorities and called on governments and diplomats to collaborate in protecting vulnerable individuals linked to Lev Tahor.
“The government and diplomatic corps of countries from whose nationalities make up members of Lev Tahor should join forces to protect those whose rights may be violated,” the organisation said in a statement.
Guatemalan authorities said they would continue their investigation into the sect’s activities and potential human rights violations.
