The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture requests
your URGENT intervention in the following situation in
Mexico.
Brief description of the situation:
The LIMEDDH (Mexican League for Human Rights)a member of
the network, has expressed its grave concern for the safety
and personal integrity of Guillermo TOLENTINO TOLENTINO, an
Indigenous Toni, and his family.
On 12th March 1996 at 09:00 hours, in the vicinity of the
community of Plan del Encinal, municipality of Ixhuatlan,
state of Veracruz, Mr TOLENTINO TOLENTINO was arrested
without warrant by agents of the public security service
and two persons with masked faces. In the course of the
arrest the agents beat him up and ill-treated his wife and
11-year old daughter.
Mr. TOLENTINO TOLENTINO was taken to the ranch of Las
Tejas, the property of Tranquilino Hernandez Reyna, former
mayor, where he was submitted to interrogation, torture and
death threats. He was subsequently taken to another ranch
belonging to Javier Quintana, where he continued to be
questioned and tortured. This was done in order to force
him to admit responsibility for supposed crimes, including
the theft of cattle. He was finally taken to Ciudad Tuxpan,
presumably to police premises, where he was shown a list of
persons whom the security forces wished to detain and
photos of various people whom he was required to identify.
Subsequently, having failed to answer, TOLENTINO TOLENTINO
was released.
The LIMEDDH expressed its grave concern on account of the
fact that Tranquilino Hernandez Reyna, mentioned above, is
alleged to be responsible for the illegal detention,
torture and extrajudicial execution on 8th september 1994
of two indigenous persons, Rolando and Atanasio HERNANDEZ
Action requested
Please write to the Mexican authorities urging them to:
i. take the appropriate measures in order to guarantee
the safety and personal freedom of Guillermo TOLENTINO
TOLENTINO and his family;
ii. carry out a thorough and impartial investigation of
the facts alleged, including the presumed
responsibility of Tranquilino Hernandez Reyna for the
death of Rolando and Atanasio HERNANDEZ, in order to
identify those responsible, bring them to trial and
impose the penal, civil and/or administrative
sanctions provided by law;
iii.ensure the full respect of human rights and
fundamental liberties throughout the country in
accordance with national laws and international
standards.
Addresses:
Lic. Patricio Chirinos Calero, Gobernador del Estado de
Veracruz, Palacio de Gobierno, Planta Baja, 91000, Xalapa,
Veracruz. Fax (+ 52 28) 18 21 67
Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, Presidente Comision Nacional de
Derechos Humanos, Periferico sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo
Lidice, Deleg. Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, Mexico,
D.F., Mexico. Fax.: (+ 52 5) 631 26 33
Geneva, 10 April 1996
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the code
number of the present appeal in your reply.