The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights
http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/


Case MEX 250297

The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in Mexico.

Brief description of the situation
The Mexican League for the Defence of Human Rights (LIMEDDH), member
of the network, has expressed its concern over the security and
integrity of various indigenous people "Mixtecos" who were arrested
recently in the State of Guerrero.

According to LIMEDDH, on 18 February 1997, the Committee for the
Defence and Support for the Indian Communities and People ("Comite de
Defensa y Apoyo a Comunidades y Pueblos Indios" - CODACPI) denounced
the illegal arrests of six "mixtecos" and the disappearance of two
others in the region of the mountain Baja of the Costa Chica of
Guerrero.

1) According to CODACPI, on 14 February, on the way to Huehuetonoc,
near the bridge of the community of La Minas, members of the Motorised
Police were ambushed by unknown people. During the ambush a policeman
Roberto Hernandez Flores was killed.

Following the death, on the 15 February at 12 o'clock, 11 police cars
of the State Police and the Motorizada Police enter into the community
of La Soledad, municipality of Xochistlahuaca. The municipal
commissary, member of PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional: the
party of goverment), accused several indigenous people "Mixtecos" of
having carried out the ambush. SERGIO MARTINEZ SANTIAGO and ALFREDO
ROJAS SANTIAGO were arrested without warrant and were the only persons
present at the time. Both were sent to the Centro de Readaptacion
Social (Social Readaptation Centre - CERESO) of Ometepec.

2) Furthermore, apparently on 15 February 1997, in the community of
Guadalupe Mano de Léon, municipality of Tlacoachistlahuaca, RUFINO
PABLO MENDOZA, 22 years old, ANTONIO HERNANDEZ DE LOS SANTOS, 20,
FRANCISCO FELICIANO DE LOS SANTOS, 25, RUFINO RAMIREZ VAZQUEZ, 20, and
one child (see MEX 250297.CC) were arrested during a police operation
led by Thomas Herrera Basurto and Reynaldo Lozano Cruz, commandants of
Judicial Police of Acapulco, and Abelardo Estevez Garc¡a, commandant
of Judicial Police of Ometepec.

These accused people were denounced by the commandant Severiano of the
municipal Police of Tlacoachistlahuaca, member of PRI. The prisoners
were heavily beaten.

Since the 20 February, RUFINO PABLO MENDOZA and ANTONIO HERNANDEZ DE
LOS SANTOS are considered as disappeared. The situation is alarming
and their lives are threatened, especially Mendoza's who was heavily
beaten. His family is also gravely concerned.

During the arrests, the Police broke into the houses and stole the
possessions of the inhabitants.

3), CODACPI has also expressed his concerned over the arrests on 3
February of the "Mixtecos" leader Lauro Garcia Vasquez  and the
existence of the orders of the detention against others indigenous as
Marcelino Isidro de Los Santos, president of the municipality of
Rancho Nuevo of Democracia., residing in Rancho Nuevo of Democracia;
in the municipal commissariats of Chilixtlahuaca, Nuu Savi Kani,
Calpanapa, San Pedro Viejo, Llano Perdido and Tia Ndichikoo,

Action requested
Please write to the Mexican authorities urging them to :

i.	take appropriate and necessary measures to determine the
whereabouts of RUFINO PABLO MENDOZA and ANTONIO HERNANDEZ DE LOS
SANTOS, to guarantee in all circumstances respect for their physical
and psychological integrity, as well as the other arrested people or
who are object of an order of detention;

ii.	guarantee the immediate release of these persons if they are still
being detained without valid judicial cause, or bring them before an
ordinary and competent court and guarantee their procedural rights at
all time;

iii.	carry out a thorough and impartial inquiry into the facts in
order to identify those responsible and apply the penal, civil and/or
administrative sanctions provided by legislation;

iv.	ensure in all circumstances the full respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and
international standards;

Addresses :
S.E. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, Presidente de la República,
Palacio Nacional, C.P. 06065, México, D.F., México. Fax : (+ 52 5) 515
17 94 or 271 17 64 or 515 47 83 or 516 57 62 . Correo electrónico :
webadmon@op.presidencia.gob.mx Lic. Emilio Chuayffet Chemor,
Secretario de Gobernación, Secretaría de Gobernación, Bucareli 99, 2º
piso, Col. Juárez, México, D.F., México Fax : (+ 52 5) 546 53 50 or
592 42 30 Dra. Mirelle Roccatti Velásquez, Presidenta Comisión
Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periférico sur 3469, Col. San Jerónimo
Lídice, Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, México, D.F., Mésixo. Fax :
(+ 52 5) 681 8490

The Mexican embassy in your respective countries.

Geneva, 25 February 1997

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of
this appeal your reply.

Ben Schonveld
Projects Manager
OMCT-SOS-Torture
Fax 4122 733 1051
Ph  4122 733 3140
OMCT is: l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture
         The World Organisation Against Torture


http://www.omct.org/