Argentina: Death Threats against Human Rights Lawyer

Derechos Human Rights
hr@derechos.org
http://www.derechos.org/

July 7, 1998

Derechos Human Rights is greatly concerned about death threats made
against human rights lawyer Sergio Smietniansky.  On July 3, 1998, an
unknown person left a message on Dr. Smietniansky's office answering
machine saying "You will spit blood, Jew, clipped cock, we will wait for
you when you get out of the office and we will see if you are as tough as
you think" 

Dr. Smietniansky is a lawyer with the Argentine human rights organization
Coordinator Against Police and Institutional Repression (CORREPI).  Hours
before this threat, he had been helping poor families who were being
brutally expelled from their homes by Federal Police.  Dr. Smietniansky
represents victims of police repression, especially those killed by
police. 
 
He is currently working with other CORREPI lawyers on the 1987 Ingeniero
Budge massacre case, in which three policemen were convicted and sentenced
to 11 years of prison for murdering three people but remain at-large.  The
CORREPI has been pressuring the state authorities to apprehend the
policemen in question and not let them walk away from their crimes.

Please write to the authorities listed below and ask that they investigate
the threats against Dr. Smietniansky, and that they bring those
responsible to justice.  In addition, please urge the authorities to
assure the safety of Dr. Smietniansky and his colleagues as they continue
their work. 

S.E. Dr. Carlos Saul Menem
Presidente de la Republica
Casa Rosada
Balcarce 50
Buenos Aires, CF
Argentina.  
Fax : + 541 331 6376     
E-mail :  postmaster@presidencia.gov.ar

Eduardo Duhalde
Gobernador de la Pcia. de Buenos Aires
Calle 6 entre 51 y 53 
1900 La Plata
Argentina

Leon Carlos Arslanian 
Ministro de Justicia de la Pcia. de Bs. As. 
Calle 6 entre 51 y 53 
1900 La Plata 
Argentina

Raul Granillo Ocampo 
Ministro de Justicia
Ministerio de Justicia
Calle Gelly y Obes 2289
1425 Buenos Aires
Argentina. Fax:+ 541 803 5453 1 3955

Dr. Carlos Corach
Ministerio del Interior
Casa de Gobierno
Balcarce 50
Buenos Aires
Argentina. 
Fax:(+541) 331 7354 or 3129328        


Sra. Ines Perez Suarez
Subsecretaria de Derechos Humanos,
Ministerio del Interior
Casa de Gobierno
Balcarce 50
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
E-mail: sdh@wamani.apc.org

Send copies to:
CORREPI
correpi@rcc.com.ar 

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.