Front Line is concerned following reports of an attempted assassination and death threats against members of the non-governmental Consejo para la Ley y los Derechos Humanos – CLDH (Law and Human Rights Council) and in particular Mr Fernando Ruiz Canales, chairman of the organisation, Mr Mario Alberto Ramírez Hurtado and Mr Isaac Olmedo García.

Further Information

These human rights defenders work with families that have been victims of kidnappings allegedly committed by members of the Mexican Armed Forces and in particular have been involved in the investigation into the kidnapping and murder of fourteen-year-old Fernando Martí. Front Line previously issued urgent appeals, concerning threats against Fernando Ruiz Canales, on 21 January 2008 and 26 November 2008.

On 19 April 2009, at approximately 2pm, Fernando Ruiz Canales, Mario Alberto Ramírez Hurtado and Isaac Olmedo García were parked in Fernando Ruiz Canale's car in Ciudad Universitaria, in the Federal District (Mexico City), when a navy Neón, without registration plates, pulled up beside them. One of the two men aboard, who was dressed in a military style uniform with the Mexican flag on the right sleeve and the letters AFI (Agencia Federal de Investigación - Federal Investigations Agency) printed on the front, aimed a gun at them. Fernando Ruiz Canales pushed open his car door which knocked the gun out of the man's hand. The car immediately sped off. The gun is now in the possession of Fernando Ruiz Canales. It is a 6 cartridge Smith and Wesson Magnum, series no. ACB4578, model 29-9, made in the United States.

On 18 April 2009, the aforementioned human rights defenders noticed that a white commercial van was following them in the city of Cuernavaca. The human rights defenders believe that they had been followed since 8am that morning, the time at which they had left Mexico City. They returned to Mexico City at 9pm that night. On the same day they also received threatening phone calls where a song was played over the line with the following menacing lyrics “Otro muerto, otro muerto, otro muerto que más da, si está muerto que lo entierren y ya esta, otro muerto pero no es sin ton ni son, de momento se acabo la discusión, otro muerto pero que bonitos son, calladitos sin querer llevar razón, otro muerto pero tiene su porque, algo ha hecho y si no preguntale” (Another dead, another dead another dead but who cares, if he is dead bury him and thats it, another dead but not without rhyme or reason, this discussion has ended. Another dead but how pretty they are, nice and quiet without wanting to be right, another dead but there is a reason, he has done something, if not ask him). This call came from the phone number 55 10161345. Fernando Ruiz Canales, Mario Alberto Ramírez Hurtado and Isaac Olmedo García reported receiving phone calls from the same number, playing the same song, on 16 April 2009 also.

On 17 April 2009, the aforementioned human rights defenders also realised that they were being photographed by occupants of the same white van as previously mentioned. They identified those taking the photographs as the same people that had followed the three human rights defenders on separate occasions on 2, 4 and 6 April 2009. It is also believed that this was the same van that was used in an attack against Fernando Ruiz Canales on 14 December 2008. On that occasion shots were fired from the van at Fernando Ruiz Canales while he was walking on the old road to Xochimilco in Mexico City.

On 15 April 2009, the aforementioned human rights defenders also received death threats by telephone from an unidentified male caller who asked "¿Cuánto les está pagando Martí para que la hagan de sus perros?" (How much is Martí paying you to be his dogs?). He then said "se van a morir pinches perros, se van a morir” (You are going to die you fucking dogs, you are going to die”). This call also came from the aforementioned phone number. Isaac Olmedo García and Mario Alberto Ramírez received these calls at approximately 11:08pm and 11:30pm respectively.

On 2,3 and 6 April 2009, the human rights defenders were also followed by at least four men. The men were described as being between the ages of 30-35 years old, of thin build and approximately 1.70 meters high, with tanned skin. One of the men has a mustache and is described as being slightly more robust.

In November and December 2008, Fernando Ruiz Canales was also the subject of threats and an attack. Both current and previous threats appear to be directly related to the Council's involvement in the high-profile case of Fernando Martí, the fourteen-year-old son of a Mexican businessman who was kidnapped on 4 June 2008 by men dressed in uniforms from the Federal Agency of Investigations, allegedly connected to the Banda de la Flor criminal organisation. Fernando Martí was later killed and his body was found in the boot of a car on 1 August 2008.

On 4 November 2008, the Commandant of the Judicial Police of Mexico City, José Luis Romero Ángel, was arrested along with two other members of the police force and charged with the kidnapping of Fernando Martí. Since 1998, Fernando Ruiz Canales has been investigating José Luis Romero Ángel for his links to kidnappings in Mexico. According to reports received, on 15 October 2003, Fernando Ruiz Canales was himself kidnapped by José Luis Romero Ángel in an attempt to intimidate him into dropping his investigation against the Police Commandant. Following the arrest of José Luis Romero Ángel in relation to the kidnapping and murder of Fernando Martí, Fernando Ruiz Canales identified him in connection to his own kidnapping and contributed information about his alleged connections to a criminal kidnapping ring which is alledged to be filled with members of the Mexican Armed Forces.

Front Line is extremely concerned for the security of the abovementioned human rights defenders and fears that these threats are an attempt to sanction their legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular their work to protect the rights of victims of kidnapping allegedly committed by the Mexican Armed Forces.