Lydia Cacho Ribeiro

Attempted assassination of prominent Mexican human rights defender

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.  Read More

Mexican human rights defender could face four years in prison

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.  Read More

Death threats against human rights defender in Mexico

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.  Read More

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