Case MEX 020797
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation :
The Secretariat has been informed of the presumed forced disappearance
of the following persons: Ignacio GARCIA MU?IZ, professor and
president of the Communal Council of Abasto de Chilapa, and Jos?
PACHECO PINEDA, indigenous peasant leader and member of the
Independent Organisation of Indigenous Communities (OICICI).
Reports from the Latin American Federation of Associations of Families
of Disappeared Detainees, FEDEFAM, a member of the network, indicate
that Ignacio Garcia Mu?ez was detained on the 20th of June in
Atlixtac, State of Guerrero, by members of the Mexican Army,
apparently on the pretext that he was in possession of drugs (one and
a half kilos of Amapola). At the time of his arrest, a sum of 58,100
pesos was confiscated from him. This money was meant to be used to
cover the daily expense allowance of members of the Brigadas del Sol
in the sixth district (Brigadas del Sol is an organisation which
carries out social work and is coordinated by Garcia Mu?ez).
FEDEFAM stresses that Professor Ignacio Garcia Mu?ez is an educational
leader, the mayor of the Apango municipality and is currently
president of the Community Council of Abasto de Chilapa. It was also
reported that he was detained while trying to secure the participation
of citizens in the electoral process which is due to terminate on July
6th.
Jos? Pacheco Pineda was allegedly arrested on Friday 27th June 1997 in
Chilapa, State of Guerrero, by four armed individuals driving a white
Tsuru. Although the facts were reported to the General Procuraduria
of the State Justice Department during an interview of local
organisations' representatives with the Secretary general of the
Guerrero government, Humberto Salgado Gomez, the latter stated that
Pacheco Pineda was neither being detained at the General Procuraduria
of the department of justice, nor at the General Procuraduria of the
Republic. According to the same reports, an article published two
weeks earlier in the Mexican magazine "Proceso" connected Jos?
Pacheco Pineda with the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR).
The Secretariat stresses its concern for the life and safety, both
physical and psychological, of Ignacio GARCIA MUNIZ and Jose PACHECO
PINEDA. It also recalls that certain persons detained in the past in
Mexico and accused by the police authorities of criminal offences
under similar circumstances, were subsequently cleared of charges (see
inter alia cases Mex 080896.1, Mex 090896, and Mex 220796.2).
Action requested:
Write to the Mexican authorities urging them to:
i adopt the necessary and appropriate measures to locate the
whereabouts of Ignacio GARCIA MUNIZ and Jos? PACHECO PINEDA, guarantee
their physical and psychological integrity in all circumstances and
order their immediate release should they be detained without valid
charges, or if such reasons exist, bring them before a competent and
impartial tribunal and guarantee their full procedural rights;
ii. carry out a thorough and impartial investigation of the presumed
detention of these persons as well as any other violation of their
fundamental rights in order to identify those responsible, bring them
to trial and apply the penal/civil or administrative sanctions
provided for by the law in force;
iii. put an end to illegal detentions and guarantee that any person
detained for whatever reason be immediately brought before a competent
and impartial tribunal which will rule on the legality of the
detention;
iv. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and
international standards.
Addresses:
S.E. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente de la Republica,
Palacio Nacional, C.P. 06065, Mexico, D.F., Mexico. Fax (+ 52 5) 515
57 29 ?/or 516 57 62
Lic. Emilio Chuayffet Chemor, Secretario de Gobernacion, Secretaria de
Gobernacion, Bucareli 99, 2 piso, Col. Juarez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico
Fax (+ 52 5) 546 53 50 ?/or 547 03 21 o/or 546
Dr. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, Procurador General de la Republica,
Procuraduria General, Violeta y Reforma s/n 2 piso, Col. Guerrero,
M?xico, D.F. CP 06300 Mexico. Fax: (+ 52 5) 626 44 26
Lic. Mireille Roccatti Velasquez, Presidenta de la Comisi?n Nacional
de Derechos Humanos, Periferico sur 3469, Col. San Jer?nimo L?dice,
Deleg. Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200, Mexico, D.F., Mexico. Fax.:
(+ 52 5) 681 71 99 E-mai: cndh@laneta.apc.org
The Mexican Embassy in your respective countries
Geneva July 2nd 1997
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of
this appeal in 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
omct@iprolink.ch
http://www.omct.org/