Human rights defender and lawyer Mr Ernesto Rábago Martínez was assassinated in his office in the state of Chihuahua on 2 March 2010. Ernesto Rábago Martínez was a member of Bowerasa (Haciendo Camino) , a not-for-profit civil association working to support the indigenous communities of the Tarahumara sierra, in the municipal of Carichí, Chihuahua, in the defence of their land, culture and health rights.

Further Information

On 2 March 2010, at approximately 10.30 pm, unidentified individuals entered the office that Ernesto Rábago Martínez shared with his wife, lawyer and member of Bowerasa, Estela Ángeles Mondragón, and shot him dead. A 25 calibre bullet casing was found in the office which is located on Allende and 23rd streets, in the colony of Obrera.

On 18 February 2010, Estela Ángeles Mondragón's daughter was shot in the arm as she sat in her car outside her home. In this incident a 25 calibre bullet casing was also found. A complaint was filed at the time before the relevant authority, but no investigation was initiated.

Ernesto Rábago Martínez and Estela Ángeles Mondragón had reported death threats and acts of intimidation directed at them since 2009. They had been working on agrarian cases with members of the indigenous Baqueachi community in the municipality of Carichí and had won various judgements in their favour against the forced occupation of their land by non-Baqueachi groups.

Following these judgements the contested land was returned to the Baqueachi community. On 28 March 2009 Estela Ángeles Mondragón's office was set on fire. No investigation was carried out into the attack.

Front Line believes that the assassination of Ernesto Rábago Martínez was directly related to his work in defence of human rights, and in particular his work defending indigenous communities in the Tarahumara sierra. Front Line is seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Estela Ángeles Mondragón , as well as that of her family.