Document - Mexico: Further Information on Prisoners of conscience and Fear for safety
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 41/015/2009
23 March 2009
Further Information on UA 314/08(AMR 41/059/2008, 14 November 2008) and follow up (AMR 41/006/2009, 12 February 2009) – Prisoners of conscience and Fear for safety
MEXICO Raúl Hernández (m) ]
Manuel Cruz(m) ] members of Me’phaa Indigenous People’s Organization
Orlando Manzanarez (m) ] (OPIM)
Natalio Ortega (m) ]
Romualdo Santiago (m) ]
Rafael Rodriguez Dircio (m)
Obtilia Eugenio Manuel (f)
9 other members of OPIM
Manuel Cruz, Orlando Manzanarez, Natalio Ortega and Romualdo Santiago were released unconditionally on 19 March. A federal tribunal dropped all charges against the four OPIM members on 17 March. Raúl Hernández remains in detention at Ayutlaprison, Guerrero state. Raúl Hernándezis a prisoner of conscienceand is likely to face an unfair trial.
On 17 April 2008, Manuel Cruz, Orlando Manzanarez, Natalio Ortega, Romualdo Santiago and Raúl Hernández were detained and charged with the murder of Alejandro Feliciano García on 1 January 2008 in the town of El Camalote, Guerrero state.On 20 October, a federal appeal (amparo) judge ruled that the evidence presented did not implicate four of the men: Manuel Cruz, Orlando Manzanarez, Natalio Ortega and Romualdo Santiago and ordered their release. The four were not freed in October however, because the Federal Attorney General’s Office (PGR) requested a revision of the ruling. Eventually, after another five months in detention, on 17 March 2009, a second federal tribunal confirmed that the evidence on which the four were being committed for trial was baseless.
In April 2008, arrest warrants for another ten OPIM members were also issued in connection with the murder, but have not been enforced.
There has been no further information on the death threats made against Rafael Rodriguez Dircio by a supporter of the local cacique (political boss) in the community of El Camalote, Guerrero State and no further information on the harassment of Obtilia Eugenio Manuel.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:
- urging the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Raúl Hernández, who Amnesty International believes is a prisoner of conscience and is wrongfully accused of murder in reprisal for his legitimate work to promote Indigenous rights;
- request that the authorities ensure that the 100 OPIM members named by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, receive all the protection that the Commission has requested for them, as well as for Raúl Hernández and the4 prisoners of conscience who have been released.
APPEALS TO:
Minister of Interior
Lic. Fernando Francisco Gómez-Mont Urueta
Secretaría de Gobernación
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso,
Col. Juárez, Del. Cuauhtémoc,
México D.F., C.P.06600, MEXICO
Fax: +52 555 093 3414
E-mail: secretario@segob.gob.mx
Salutation: Señor Secretario/Dear Minister
Governor of Guerrero
Lic. Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo
Gobernador del Estado de Guerrero
Palacio de Gobierno, Edificio Centro, piso 2, Ciudad de los Servicios
CP 39075, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, MEXICO
Email: gobernador@guerrero.gob.mx
Fax: +52 747 471 9956
Salutation: Señor Gobernador/Dear Governor
Attorney General of the Republic
Lic. Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
Procurador General de la República
Procuraduría General de la República
Av. Paseo de la Reforma nº 211-213, Piso 16
Col. Cuauhtémoc, Delegación Cuauhtémoc
México D.F., C.P. 06500, MEXICO
Fax: +52 555 346 0908
Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Señor Procurador General
COPIES TO:
Human rights organisation
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña “Tlachinollan”AC.
Calle Mina no. 77
Col. Centro
Tlapa de Comonfort, C.P. 41304
Guerrero, MEXICO.
and to diplomatic representatives of Mexico accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appealsafter 4 May.