Virginia Laparra is a Guatemalan lawyer and former head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI) in Quetzaltenango, where she investigated corruption and organized crime and worked to strengthen accountability within Guatemala’s justice system.

Her anti-corruption work ultimately made her a target. After raising concerns about a judge who she believed had disclosed confidential information relating to a corruption case, Laparra faced criminal proceedings that were widely condemned by international human rights organizations. She was arrested in February 2022 and spent 680 days in detention, including months in solitary confinement, before being released to house arrest in January 2024. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that her detention was arbitrary and called for her release.

In July 2024, Laparra was convicted in a second case connected to her work as a prosecutor. Facing continued prosecution and the threat of further imprisonment, she was forced to leave Guatemala and live in exile. Despite the enormous personal cost of her work, Laparra has remained an outspoken advocate for justice, accountability and the rule of law.

In 2025, Virginia Laparra was awarded the Allard Prize for International Integrity in recognition of her exceptional courage and commitment to combating corruption and defending the rule of law.