Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received regarding death threats that have been recently made against human rights defender Fernando Ruiz Canales, the President of the non-governmental Consejo para la Ley y los Derechos Humanos – CLDH (Law and Human Rights Council). Fernando Ruiz Canales works with families that have been victims of kidnappings allegedly committed by members of the Mexican Armed Forces. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal concerning threats against Fernando Ruiz Canales, on 21 January 2008.
Further Information
On 22 November 2008, at approximately 6:00 pm, Fernando Ruiz Canales was driving on the Mexico City – Puebla motorway when he was pursued for more than one hour by a white van. The unidentified individuals in the van alledgedly attempted to cause an accident by closing in on his car at high speed in an area of dangerous bends.
On 19 November 2008, at approximately 2:40 pm, Fernando Ruiz Canales found that the office of the CLDH outside of Mexico City had been broken into. One of the young dogs in the office, that had been in training to become a sniffer dog, had been drowned by unidentified individuals. On the wall beside the dog the attackers had written in red lettering, “tú sigues pinche perro,” (“...you´re next f**ing dog”). Fernando Ruiz Canales had left the office forty minutes earlier indicating that these individuals were monitoring his movements. The intruders had also searched the office for documents concerning the CLDH, leaving computers, cameras, video cameras and other valuables, indicating that the motive behind this attack was not robbery. According to reports received, with the exception a colleague, no one was aware that Fernando Ruiz Canales would be visiting that office that day. Fernando Ruiz Canales had told his colleague by telephone that he would be making this visit. For three weeks, CLDH has detected that the office telephone has been tapped.
Fernando Ruiz Canales has also received threatening phone calls that he believes refer to his 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. He was later killed and his body was found in the boot of a car on 1 August 2008. In one call, an unidentified voice said: "deja en paz al compañero, tiene muchas amistades," (“...leave him in peace, he has many friendships”). When Fernando Ruiz Canales asked what the person was referring to, the anonymous caller responded: "al que aventaste por el asunto Martí que te haces pendejo!" (“...to the one you're daring to accuse for the Martí issue, don't pretend you're that stupid!”). Fernando Ruiz Canales also received an anonymous call refering to Fernando Martí, in which an unidentified person threatened him saying: "tú pinche perro, te van a recoger como a tu tocayito, encajuelado!" (“...you f**ing dog, they´re going to find you like they found your little namesake, in the boot of a car!").
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 believes that the break-in at the office and the death threats that have been made against Fernando Ruiz Canales are related to his work in defence of human rights, in particular his work to protect the rights of victims of kidnapping allegedly committed by the Mexican Armed Forces. Front Line expresses profound concern for the security of Fernando Ruiz Canales, as well as that of all members of the Consejo para la Ley y los Derechos Humanos.
