This message is forwarded to you by the editors of the Chiapas95
newslists. To contact the editors or to submit material for posting send
to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
From: "Dana Aldea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: AI Urgent Action for David Venegas and other Oaxaca activists,Apr 19
Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:16:11 +0200
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 41/017/2007
19 April 2007
UA 92/07 Fear for safety/death threats/legal concern
MEXICO David Venegas (m), aged 24
Isaac Torres Carmona (m), human rights lawyer
Other political activists and human rights lawyers in Oaxaca state
Political activist David Venegas was arbitrarily detained by state police in
central Oaxaca City on 13 April, and reportedly tortured. He has been
charged with serious criminal offences, on the basis of evidence which
appears to have been fabricated. He may be at risk of further ill-treatment
and unfair judicial proceedings. Human rights lawyer Isaac Torres Carmonas
was with him when he was arrested, and the police reportedly threatened him.
David Venegas is an activist with the Popular Assembly of the People of
Oaxaca, Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca (APPO), which has led protests
calling for the resignation of the state governor.
David Venegas was in central Oaxaca at 1pm with Isaac Torres Carmona, of the
Mexican League for the Defence of Human Rights (Liga Mexicana para la
Defensa de los Derechos Humanos), when eight state police officers in
uniform leapt from a vehicle without number plates, shouting No te mueves,
cabro'n ("Don't move, bastard"). At gunpoint they forced David Venegas to the
ground and kicked him. The police reportedly threatened Isaac Torres Carmona
and told him not to get involved if he didn't want to be taken too. They
showed no arrest warrant and gave no reason for detaining David Venegas. At
3am that night, the authorities finally released information on where he was
being held and allowed David Venegas to speak to his family. He told them
that he had been taken to premises of the Oaxaca State Public Prosecutor's
Office, where he had been beaten and threatened in an apparent attempt to
force him to confess to possession of cocaine and heroin. Photos taken by
the authorities and later published in the press show him standing with a
bag of white powder and a copy of the APPO publication Barrikada, held up in
front of his bruised face. He was then taken to the Federal Attorney General's
Office, where he was charged with the federal crime of possession of cocaine
and heroin.
Amnesty International is concerned that political activists and human rights
defenders carrying out legitimate human rights promotion work in Oaxaca who
were not responsible for criminal offences may face politically motivated
arbitrary detention, ill-treatment and fabricated criminal charges, as they
have done many times since a teachers' strike triggered a political crisis
in the state in May 2006.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Teachers went on strike in Oaxaca state demanding better pay in May 2006,
and occupied the main square of Oaxaca City. State police attempted to force
them out on 14 June, using excessive force. In response the APPO was set up,
an umbrella organization of social and political groups demanding the
resignation of the state governor. In a climate of increasing violence,
armed police in plain clothes arbitrarily detained many protesters and
reportedly fabricated criminal charges against them. Several APPO supporters
were shot and killed between in August and September, leading protesters to
set up barricades so as to keep the police out of key areas of the city. In
October, the federal police entered the city, carrying out mass arrests,
leading to widespread complaints of ill-treatment. The last major
confrontation took place on 25 November, causing serious damage to public
buildings and causing more than 140 people to be detained. At least 40 are
still in custody in connection with disturbances in Oaxaca, while many
others are on bail awaiting trial.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in
Spanish or your own language:
- expressing concern for the safety of David Venegas, Isaac Torres Carmona
and other political activists and human rights defenders who may be subject
to arbitrary detention, ill-treatment or torture and politically motivated
criminal charges;
- calling for an immediate, thorough, impartial and independent
investigation into the arbitrary detention and reports of torture of David
Venegas and for those officials responsible for human rights violations to
be brought to justice;
- calling for an impartial and independent evaluation of the evidence
against David Venegas, and for the charges against him to be dropped if
found to be flawed.
APPEALS TO:
Minister of the Interior
Lic. Francisco Javier Rami'rez Acu~a
Secretario de Gobernacio'n, Secretari'a de Gobernacio'n
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso, Col. Jua'rez, Del. Cuauhte'moc, Me'xico D.F.,
C.P.06600, MEXICO
Fax: +52 55 5093 3414
Salutation: Se~or Secretario/Dear Minister
General Prosecutor of the Republic
Lic. Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
Procurador General de la Republica
Procuraduri'a General de la Repu'blica, Paseo de la Reforma nº 211-213, Piso
16
Col. Cuauhte'moc, Del. Cuauhte'moc, Me'xico D.F., C.P. 06500, MEXICO
Fax: +52 55 53 46 09 08 (if a voice answers, ask "tono de fax, por favor")
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Salutation: Se~or Procurador General/Dear Attorney General
Governor of Oaxaca
Lic. Ulises Ruiz Ortiz
Gobernador del Estado de Oaxaca
Carretera Oaxaca-Puerto Angel, Km. 9.5, Santa Mari'a Coyotepec, Oaxaca,
Oaxaca C. P. 71254, MEXICO
Fax: +52 951 502 0530 (if a voice answers, ask "tono de fax, por favor")
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Salutation: Se~or Gobernador / Dear Governor
Attorney General of Oaxaca
Lic. Evencio Nicola's Marti'nez Rami'rez
Procurador del Estado de Oaxaca
Avenida Luis Echeverri'a s/n, Col. La Experimental, San Antonio de la Cal,
Oaxaca, Oaxaca 71236, MEXICO
Fax: +52 951 511 5519
Salutation: Dear Attorney/Estimado Procurador
COPIES TO:
President of the National Human Rights Commission
Dr. Jose' Luis Soberanes Ferna'ndez
Presidente de la Comisio'n Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDH)
Perife'rico Sur 3469, 5º piso, Col. San Jero'nimo Li'dice, Me'xico D.F. 10200,
MEXICO
Liga Mexicana por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos
Calle Murgui'a 600, Col. Centro, Oaxaca, Me'xico, C.P. 68000 MEXICO
and to diplomatic representatives of Mexico accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 31 May 2007.********
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR410172007
--
To unsubscribe from this list send a message containing the words
unsubscribe chiapas95 (or chiapas95-lite, or chiapas95-english, or
chiapas95-espanol) to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Previous messages
are available from http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html
or gopher to Texas, University of Texas at Austin, Department of
Economics, Mailing Lists.
