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Mexico:Statement by coalition of Mexican and international NGOs to mark anniversary of killing of of “Bety” Cariño Trujillo and Jyri Antero Jaakkolaposted on: 2011/04/27

Wednesday 27 April 2011 was the first anniversary of the killing of human rights defenders “Bety” Cariño Trujillo and Jyri Antero Jaakkolain in Oaxaca Mexico. In a joint statement issued today (Wednesday) a coalition of Mexican and international human rights NGOs have reiterated their demands for action on this case.

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The joint statement included demands for : a full and independent investigation into the killings, for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and for the Government of Mexico to take action to ensure that human rights defenders are able to go about their work freely and without the risk of attack.

“Bety” Cariño Trujillo and Jyri Antero Jaakkolain were shot dead in a violent attack on a peaceful solidarity caravan of human rights defenders on 27 April 2010, as it tried to enter the autonomous indigenous municipality of San Juan Copala, Oaxaca. To date the Mexican authorities have failed to identify either the intellectual authors or the actual perpetrators of the crime.

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Mexico: Update - Human rights defender Mr Raúl Hernández Abundió freed after full exoneration by courtposted on: 2010/08/31

Human rights defender Mr Raúl Hernández Abundió has been released after spending over two years in prison in connection to a crime he did not commit.

Mexico: Update - Trial of human rights defender Raúl Hernández Abundióposted on: 2010/07/06

Further to the Urgent Appeals issued on 30 May 2008 and 25 March 2009, and the subsequent update of 16 April 2010, Front Line has received the following information concerning the trial of human rights defender Raúl Hernández Abundió: On 30 June 2010 the evidence submission stage of Raúl Hernández Abundió's trial for murder was brought to a close by the presiding judge.

Human rights defender Ms Bety Cariño tragically killed in violent paramilitary attack in Oaxaca, Mexicoposted on: 2010/04/28

Front Line is deeply saddened by news received of the violent paramilitary attack on a peaceful solidarity campaign in Oaxaca, Mexico, which resulted in the killing of WHRD Bety Cariño as well as an international observer from Finland, Tyri Antero Jaakkola.

Two years since the imprisonment of human rights defender and leader of the Me'phaa Indigenous People's Organization (OPIM), Raúl Hernández Abundio.posted on: 2010/04/16

17 April 2010 marks two years since the imprisonment of human rights defender and leader of the Me'phaa Indigenous People's Organization (OPIM), Raúl Hernández Abundio. He has been accused of the murder of Alejandro Feliciano García, who was reportedly linked to the Army and branches of the police and who was killed on 1 January 2008.

Mexico: Office of High Commission for Human Rights issues report on deteriorating security situation for human rights defendersposted on: 2010/01/18

The Mexico office of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights visited Chihuahua to launch their report on the situation of HRDs in Mexico. The report by Mr Alberto Brunori highlighted the issue of impunity as being the greatest threat to the security of human rights defenders.

Mexico – UPDATE – Serious ongoing death threats against LGBT human rights defender, Prof. Agustín Estrada Negrete posted on: 2009/12/11

Front Line has learned of serious ongoing death threats against human rights defender, Professor Agustín Estrada Negrete, a member of the human rights organisation Agenda LGBT which works to promote and protect the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Mexico. Agustín Estrada Negrete is a teacher who, in May 2009, was dismissed from his position as Director of a school, Centro de Atención Múltiple, for children with learning disabilities in Mexico State. On 25 May 2009 Front Line reported Agustín Estrada Negrete's dismissal and his arrest on public order offences, as well as the serious physical and sexual abuse he suffered whilst in detention. Since then he has faced serious ongoing death threats and attacks.

Mexico: Bodies found of indigenous rights defenders, Manuel Ponce Rosas and Raúl Lucas Lucíaposted on: 2009/02/25

Front Line is deeply saddened following reports that the bodies of human rights defenders Manuel Ponce Rosas and Raúl Lucas Lucía were discovered on 20 February 2009 with visible signs of torture and in an advanced state of decomposition.

Attempted assassination of prominent Mexican human rights defenderposted on: 2007/05/18

Lydia Cacho Ribeiro a leading Mexican defender of children’s and women’s human rights narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by means of sabotage of an official vehicle she was traveling in from the city of Juarez in Mexico City on 7 May 2007.

Prominent Mexican Journalist Murderedposted on: 2007/04/29

The body of Diario de Agua Prieta journalist, Saúl Martínez Ortega, was found on 23 April 2007, six days after he was kidnapped by an armed gang. Rosie Palomares, the director of "Diario de Agua Prieta" newspaper, said that when Saul Martínez Ortega's body was found "it was difficult to recognize him, due to the decomposition of his body.”

Human rights defenders in Chiapas, Mexico face intimidationposted on: 2006/11/05

The office of Fray Bartolome de Las Casas (Frayba) a human rights organization that promotes and defends human rights in Chiapas, Mexico was raided on 22 October 2006. This incidence combined with threats directed at individual members of Frayba, increasingly indicates there is a strategic attempt to obstruct the work and intimidate human rights defenders in Chiapas.

Frayba has denounced and documented over twenty cases of harassment, intimidation and attacks against activists and human rights defenders in Chiapas, including members of Frayba. On 14 March 2006, Frayba sent a formal complaint to the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Mexico, regarding the alleged raid on the residence of one of the organization’s members, David Méndez. In June 2006, alleged threats against another member of Frayba, Mañuel Hernandez, were also reported.

Mexican human rights defender could face four years in prisonposted on: 2006/01/24

An award winning Mexican journalist, and president of the woman’s refuge, Centro Integral de Atencion a las Mujeres (CIAM), was arrested on 16 December 2006 in Cancun, transported over 1000 miles to the city of Puebla and charged with defamation and slander.

Mexican police detained Lydia Cacho Ribeiro (42) for 30 hours in San Miguel state prison before releasing her on $10,000 bail. Ms Ribeiro must appear before a judge in Peubla every week until her trial begins. If she is found guilty she could face up to four years in prison.

According to local newspaper, the defamation charges are based on a complaint filed by the Puebla-based manufacturing baron Jose Camel Nacif Borge.

Earlier this year, in her book “The Demons of Eden”, Ms Cacho alleged that Mr Borge had ties with the accused paedophile Jean Succar Kuri.

Lebanese born Kuri was arrested by US marshals in February 2004 in Arizona and stands accused of rape, corruption of minors and organising sex parties involving minors.

Ms Cacho has indicated that the information in her book is based on existing documents and that she has sufficient proof for her defence.

Death threats against human rights defender in Mexicoposted on: 2005/09/12

Front Line is deeply concerned for the security of the staff of the Centro Integral de Atencion a las Mujeres (CIAM); in particular, its President, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro. CIAM is an organisation which offers refuge, support and advice to women and children throughout Mexico whose rights are being violated.

According to information received, from 25 April to 1 July 2005, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro received at least 42 threatening telephone calls to the CIAM office in Cancun. In one of the most recent, the caller stated: "This is for Lydia Cacho for her to be aware that I'll be in Cancun soon, when she is least expecting me... The Attorney General's Office, cannot do anything to me...whoever messes with me dies". On 30 June, a man visited the CIAM office in Saltillo and harassed the director. The suspected perpetrator of these threats is a former police officer from the State Judicial Police Force in Coahuila state, whose wife and children are being sheltered by CIAM.

Killing of Mexican human rights defender, Octavio Acunaposted on: 2005/07/26

Front Line is deeply saddened by the killing of human rights defender Octavio Acuna, a member of la Asociación Queretana de Educación para la Sexualidad. In the wake of this incident, Front Line is deeply concerned about the safety of all the members of la Asociación Queretana de Educación para la Sexualidad.

On 21 June 2005, at a sexual health shop and information centre in Queretaro, Octavio Acuna bled to death after reportedly being stabbed several times. It is reported, that no object of any value was taken from the scene by the attacker. Octavio Acuna has been the victim of acts of intimidation for quite some time. In 2004, he made a statement before the Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos (CEDH) accusing several police officers of discrimination.

Front Line believes that the death of Octavio Acuna may be an attempt to curb the legitimate work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights defenders in Mexico.

Mexico: human rights defender Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez and his four sons ambushedposted on: 2005/06/02

Front Line is deeply concerned over events that took place on May 19th 2005 in the community of Nuevo Blanco, Sierra de Petatlán, Guerrero State, Mexico, when human rights defender Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez and his children were ambushed upon arriving home. According to the information received, Albertano Peñalosa and his children and were attacked while inside their car by unknown gunmen at 21.30 PM on 19 May 2005. His sons Armando of 20 and Adatuel of 9 years of age were killed in the attack, in which 83 bullets from high calibre weapons were fired. Albertano and his sons Adalí (15) and Isaac (19) were seriously injured.