observatory for the protection of human rights defenders annual report 2010

Political context In 2009, human rights policy was not a priority in Mexico, and former President Felipe Calderón continued with his strategy of using military forces in the fight against organised crime. This strategy included the participation of the army in operations – instead of the police – against drug trafficking. This generated a real de facto State in which the level of

human1 rights violations increased without effective control by any civil body . Torture, arbitrary detentions, disappearances, murders and other attacks committed by the security forces were not being investigated by the competent civil authorities and the use of the military justice to judge

the 2abuses committed by the military contributed to maintaining impu- nity . Furthermore, it is of serious concern that defenders who reported human rights violations were subjected to particularly violent repression, with the assassination of at least seven defenders in 2009. With regard to the abuses carried out by the police force, the Mexican Government has shown a lack of will to prevent the repetition of such abuses by naming Mr. Wilfrido Robledo as new Head of the Ministerial Federal Police, whereas the latter was involved in the planning and implementation of operations that resulted in serious human rights violations in San Salvador Atenco and Texcoco on May 3 and 4, 2006. Furthermore, Mexico con- tinued to fail to accept its responsibility to investigate and punish those responsible for State crimes committed in the so-called “dirty war”, in spite of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) ruling that

1 / See Report by the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Centre (Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez - Centro PRODH) for the UN Human Rights Committee, Sin controles, sin castigo: las violaciones del Estado mexicano a los derechos civiles y políticos, December 21, 2009. 184 2 / Idem. migrants a year are kidnapped in Mexico by organised criminal gangs gangs criminal organised by Mexico in kidnapped are year a migrants Bustamante, Mission to Mexico, United Nations Document A/HRC/11/7/Add.2, March 24, 2009. 5 casos desecuestro encontra demigrantes, June 15, 2009. losDerechos Humanos sobre los Casos Secuestrode Migrantesde sobre Informe Especial los Report, ) 4 Secretary inPresident Gustavo DíazOrdaz’s Government. the in them on fired Tres Culturas Tlatelolco. in square Mr. time, that At Echeverría Governor’s the was The slaughter occurred on October 2, 1968 when dozens of students died after soldiers and paramilitaries Tlatelolco slaughter, thereby closing the main trial still open for crimes committed during the dirty war. Presidentthe MexicanabsolvedFederalformerforEcheverríaCourtLuis the that genocide Álvarezof exonerating resolution a confirmed court collegial 27,MexicanMoreover, March a 2009, on pending. still was ruling IACtHR the with compliance 2009, of end the of As civilians. against military the of guarantee impartiality in the investigation and trial of human rights violations committed by members years later, his whereabouts are still unknown. The ruling also reiterated that military justice does not 25,1974. socialleaderfrom August Guerreroon outstanding detained an wasThirty-fourillegally who IACtHR condemned the Mexican State for the enforced disappearance of Mr. Rosendo Radilla Pacheco, 3 Universal the of framework the within Council Rights Human Nations attacks and intimidation of victims against were abuses migrants the report was that organisations migrants society against civil and committed widespread violations rights human of Impunity murders cases, many in and abuse sexual take extortion, torture, of crimes form These with. the collude or tolerate either authorities the which Humanos Derechos los de Nacional ( Commission Rights Human National the by published figures to according that, alarming particularly is It municipal, authorities. local, federal and of State collusion the with cases many in migrants, of rights fundamental the law, the violating of outside operate that gangs of works net transnational the to approach effective an take not does it migrants, repression. violent the by affected most groups the of one were, therefore, defenders lives.community The population indigenous the of part large a where and were recorded of poverty ,levels and highest the where Oaxaca Chiapas, of States the in indigenous noticeable of particularly was repression communities The Mexico. in work to continued defenders which on issues important most the of one remained resources natural of rights time human that at abuses systematic of environment an of existence the recognised

/ / / / In February 2009, the Mexican State was examined by the United United the by examined was State Mexican the 2009, February In for destination and of origin, transit is Furthermore,a country as Mexico exploitation the and peoples indigenous of rights the for struggle The

See Human Rights Council, See IACtHR Ruling, Ruling, IACtHR See Comisión Nacional de (ComisiónNacional Migrants of Cases KidnappingCommission forRights Human National See Caso Radilla Pacheco vs. Estados Unidos MexicanosUnidos PachecoEstados vs.Radilla Caso 3 . Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, Jorge – CNDH), approximately 18,000 18,000 approximately CNDH), – 5 . , November 23, 2009. The 23, November , l a u n n a Comisión Comisión

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Periodic Review (UPR). The Council made a series of recommendations, including that the State take concrete action to improve the criminal justice system, the levels of torture and inhuman treatment, impunity, excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, criminalisation of social protest, the situation of human rights defenders, Government action to guarantee the correct implementation of international treaties, as well as to evaluate the use of preventive detention (“arraigo”). Out of

the 91 recommendations presented to the Mexican State, eight6 were not accepted, which were primarily related to military jurisdiction .

On November 16, 2009, the IACtHR ruled against the Mexican State on the “Campo Algodonero” case that refers to the disappearance and murder of the following young people: Claudia Ivette González, Esmeralda Herrera Monreal and Laura Berenice Ramos Monárrez, whose bodies were found in a cotton field in Ciudad Juárez on November 6, 2001. This ruling highlights, among other issues, the failure of the Mexican State to act when

faced with violence against women and the phenomenon of7 feminicide in an environment of structural gender-based discrimination . Ongoing repression of indigenous peoples and peasants’ rights In Guerrero State, the enforced disappearance and assassination of Messrs. Raúl Lucas Lucía, President of the Organisation for the Future Organización para el Futuro del Pueblo Mixteco of the Mixteco8 People ( – OFPM) , and Manuel Ponce Rosas, OFPM Secretary, marked the begin- ning of 2009, setting out the violence faced by indigenous rights defenders in Mexico. On February 14, 2009, Messrs. Raúl Lucas Lucía and Manuel Ponce Rosas were arrested in the municipality of Ayutla de los Libres, State of Guerrero, by three individuals who identified themselves as police officers without presenting an arrest warrant. On the night of February 20, 2009, their lifeless bodies were found in las Cazuelas, in the municipality of , in the coastal region . The victims

6 / See Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review on Mexico, United Nations Document A/HRC/11/27, May 29, 2009. 7 / See IACtHR Ruling, Caso González y otras (“Campo Algodonero”) vs. México, November 16, 2009. 8 / Mr. Raúl Lucas Lucia worked on the defence of human rights of 32 “Mixteca” indigenous communities in the Costa Chica and Montaña region, Ayutla de los Libres municipality, for more than 10 years, coordinating his work with the “Tlachinollan” Mountain Human Rights Centre. In 1994, Mr. Luca Lucía created, together with Tlapaneco indigenous people, the Mixtecos and Tlapanecos Peoples’ Independent Organisation (Organización Independiente de Pueblos Mixtecos y Tlapanecos) through which they started to document and publicly and legally denounce the abuses committed in various communities by members of the and police forces. Subsequently, in 2002, the two peoples decided to unite under the name of Organisation for the Development of the Mixteco People (Organización para el Desarrollo del Pueblo Mixteco - ODPM) with the aim of promoting the coordination of work in the 186 region in demanding respect for the rights of the Mixteco people. 2008 inAyutla delos Libres. OPIM members, accused of assassinating Mr. Alejandro Feliciano García, an army informer, on January 1, 10 measures were noteffectively implemented by theMexican State. 9 18, on September Jotolá,in of 2009 the town Ejido attacked in the munici camera. video Mr. a Centre, Frayba with the at and lawyer hats Another with covered faces their with people by Mr. 2009, 20, and Gordillo Cadenas 14 June Between attacks. and harassment of A.C” Casas, Las de ( Centre Rights Human innocence his prove to evidence sufficient as detention well as his of irregularities and inconsistencies the of evidence shown has defence his that fact the of spite in Libres los de Ayutla of town the in Centre Rehabilitation Social the in detained OPIM,of remained member in Guerrero defenders rights human 107 of life the protect to measures provisional grant to had work.2009, their IACtHR April the In for conditions security minimal of lack the of Guerrero, because of State the Libres, in los de Ayutla of town “Tlachinollan” Montaña la de Humanos ( Centre Rights Human Mountain “Tlachinollan” The organisation. this to con membership their of because exposed communities very be to tinue their in remained who OPIM of members other However, threat. the the after days few a region the leave to had couple The the in defenders Ms.2009,rights 17, March on human Furthermore, region. other the intimidate to assas and served sination disappearance The leaders. two the of assassination the into towards her husband, Mr. husband, her towards directed also were threats you”.The to happen will (Lucas) (Ponce) Raúl Manuel to and happened “what said: that messages text three received Me’phaa Indígenas Pueblos los de Peoples’ ( Indigenous of Me’phaa the President Organisation República la de General clear.( was General of 2009,end At the Attorney Federal the execution, extrajudicial an in resulted which disappearance, the investigate area. the to request the following in authorities the from response of lack the which in communities indigenous case on 28,this On December against a 2009,recommendation issued CNDH the forces Mexican the of police and members by army committed rape and abuses reported had /

/ In the State of Chiapas, the “Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, A.C” A.C” Casas, Las de Bartolomé “Fray the Chiapas, of State the In

See IACtHR Resolution,

Mr. Hernández Abundio was detained on April 17, 2008, following the issue of 15 arrest warrants for , Director of Frayba, realised that he was being watched watched ,being was he Frayba,of that Director realised Asunto Fernández Ortega y otros, April 30, 2009. The NGOs report that such – Frayba) and its members continued to be victims victims be to continued members its and Frayba) – 9 . In addition, Mr. – PGR) was continuing with the investigation investigation the with continuing was PGR) – Centro de Derechos Humanos “Fray Bartolomé Bartolomé “Fray Humanos Derechos de Centro Cuauhtémoc Ramírez Cuauhtémoc – OPIM), in the State of Guerrero, Guerrero, of State the in OPIM), Raúl Hernández Abundio Hernández Raúl ) had to close its offices in the the in offices its close to had ) Ricardo Lagunes Gasca Lagunes Ricardo Obtilia Eugenio Manuel Eugenio Obtilia , a member of OPIM. of member a , 10 . Centro de Derechos Derechos de Centro l a u n n a Organización Organización Procuraduría Procuraduría

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pality of Chilón, State of Chiapas, by members of the Organisation for the Defence of Indigenous and Peasants’ Rights (Organización para la Defensa de los Derechos Indígenas y Campesinos – OPDDIC), a group that has been denounced as paramilitary. By the end of 2009, the judicial process was at a standstill and no progress had been made. Mr. Lagunes Gasca was heading towards the lower levels of Tila and he stopped in Ejido Jotolá to report

on the judicial11 proceedings he is working on as the defence lawyer for the “ejidatarios” . Furthermore, on November 8, 2009, around 20 police offic- ers broke into the house of Mr. Adolfo Guzmán Ordaz, a member of the Organización Connection, Communication and Training Organisation12 ( Enlace, Comunicación y Capacitación, A.C – Enlace CC) , with an arrest warrant for the leaders of four different organisations. The police officers threatened Mr. Guzman’s wife with a gun, whilst Mr. Guzmán Ordaz was questioned about his activities in Enlace CC. The police officers also took photos of the house and recorded a video of the family. Subsequently, Mr. Guzmán and his family had to move house. Mr. Guzmán filed a complaint for the crimes of raid, torture, abuse of authority by the police. However, on December 14, 2009, Mr. Guzmán and his wife decided not to go to the hearing as they had received threats in the days leading up to the hearing. By the end of 2009, the authorities had not carried out the necessary investigations nor had they taken measures to shed light on the events.

Judicial harassment is another reprisal mechanism used against human rights defenders. On September 30, 2009, members of a joint operation carried out by the PGR and the Chiapas State Attorney General’s Office (Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado de Chiapas – PGJE) entered the “28 de Junio” community in the municipality of Venustiano Carranza, State of Chiapas, and arrested Mr. José Manuel Hernández Martínez, also known as “Don Chema”, a member of the Carranza Region Emiliano Organización Campesina Emiliano Zapata Peasants’ Organisation13 ( Zapata – OCEZ) and outstanding social leader in the community. Mr. José Manuel Hernández Martínez was accused by the PGJE of “crimi-

11 / In Mexico, an “ejido” is a rural collective property that has been very important in agricultural life. When the agrarian revolution took place, a lot of land was appropriated from landowners and distributed among the poor; however, they did not have the right to sell them, only to work the lands. Furthermore, they are obliged to pass them on to their descendents. Those who work these lands are called “ejidatarios”. 12 / Connection CC is an organisation that promotes the prominence of popular groups, communities and peasant and indigenous organisations with the aim of developing alternative local development with a regional perspective and to build a more just and mutually supportive society from a gender perspective and by demanding respect for economic, social and cultural rights. 13 / OCEZ is a peasant organisation that fights for peasant land rights in the region. The organisation recently signed a Governance Pact with the Chiapas Government and has been holding discussions with Mr. Nemesio Ponce Sánchez, Deputy Secretary General of the Chiapas Government, in order to find 188 solutions to the social, agricultural and legal demands of the peasants in the region. moted by big industry or by the Government, were victims of threats, threats, of victims were which, in Government, assassination. Mr.resulted in one case the by or industry big by moted fields andtwo wells. 15 certain anti-capitalist andequality principles. who are and organised those who are in not, order to make positive change in society, bearing in mind ( MovementZapata the and promoted by the Zapatista National Liberation Army ( 14 Hernández de – las Casas Palenque, Cristóbal road San in Chiapas ( Campaign ( responsibility. all denied had Blackfire and assassination the been for had arrested people various 2009, of end the At pressure. international and national to due and proceedings, judicial the with of continue to information lack a given 2009 26, August on released was he However, company. mining Ltd Exploration Blackfire the against prejudice” and “damage and peace”, association”, of against “criminal on roads”“attacks “attacks accused ( detention preventive in put and detained arbitrarily been had Roblero Mr.Abarca 2009, 17, August on Furthermore, Blackfire. of ees in Chicomuselo,Ministry State,Chiapas on the threats Public received by employ the to report a presented had 23, Roblero November Abarca On Mr.2009,Mariano attack. the in injured also was REMA, by organised Mr.2009. 27, Ltd, on November Exploration Blackfire was assassinated company mining Canadian by the caused effects environmental the denouncing in involved Minería la ( por Mining by Afectados de Affected Mexicana those of Network Mexican the of member a environment the affect that projects oppose who defenders of harassment and Assassinations pressure. international and national following November of end the at Centre released No. was Nayarit. He of No. (CEFERESO 4 State the in Rehabilitation 4) Social Federal the to police federal the of support the with and guards prison family, by his or lawyer his notifying without transferred, was Martínez Hernández Manuel Mr.2009, José October In of of nation”the on “attacks crimes,symbols other including accused and “conspiracy”. also was He Carranza. Venustiano in 2003 in place took edly alleg that events eviction”for “damage”, and association”, “aggravated nal Ejército de Dios de Ejército

/ / / Moreover, on July 21, 2009 a paramilitary group called the Army of God Army the called Moreover,group 21, on July a paramilitary 2009 pro projects oppose who those particularly defenders, Environmental

The Other Campaign is the name of an independent and political initiative for popular participation,

This road affects 40 hectares in the mountain (including pine and oak forests), ten hectares of of hectares ten forests), oak and pine (including mountain the in hectares 40 affects road This died in the attack and Mr.in died the attack Otra Campaña Otra Orlando Velásquez Orlando ) ran down a group of “ejidatarios”, members of the Other Other of the of a group down ) ran members “ejidatarios”, Movimiento Zapatista Movimiento ) 14 and opponents to the construction of the the of construction the to opponents and , an active participant in the meetings meetings the in participant active an , ). It aims at listening to the Mexican people, those those people, Mexican the to listening at aims It ). Javier Gomez Heredia Gomez Javier Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional - – REMA) and who was actively actively was who and REMA) – Mariano Abarca Roblero Abarca Mariano 15 . Mr. l a u n n a Aurelio Díaz Díaz Aurelio was injured. arraigado

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Furthermore, the same day, Army of God members assaulted Messrs. José Heredia and Fernando Heredia, who are also opposed to the construction

of the road and are members of the Other Campaign. By 16the end of 2009, only one of the paramilitaries involved had been arrested .

Also, environmental defenders too faced judicial harassment, as illustrated by the arrests of Messrs. Francisco Estrada Castro and Luis Gutiérrez Montiel on August 24, 2009, both leaders of the opposition movement to

the rubbish dump situated at the entrance to the village of San Antonio 17la Isla, Mexico State, as it does not comply with environmental standards . Another example of judicial harassment was the arrest warrant issued in November 2009 against Messrs. Juan Zamora González and Porfirio

Méndez Martínez, defenders of the people18 affected by the construction of the Cerro de Oro dam in the 1980s .

Furthermore, it is worth remembering that in June 2009, the Mexican State was taken to the IACtHR regarding the case of arbitrary detention

and torture of Mr. Rodolfo Montiel and Mr. Teodoro Cabrera, environ19- mental farmers, in Guerrero State in 1999 by members of the military . Mr. Montiel and Mr. Cabrera who were outstanding defenders of the forest in Petatlán and Coyuca de Catalán, Guerrero State, have still not been able to return to their communities because of the risks and the threats against them. Mr. Montiel went to exile in another country. Assaults against defenders who denounce abuses committed by the armed forces Some defenders who denounced human rights violations carried out by the military were also victims of attacks during 2009. For instance, Mr. Salomón Monárrez Meraz, Secretary of the Sinaloa Civil Front (Frente Cívico Sinaloense) in Culiacán, Sinaloa State, whose work, in recent years, has focused on denouncing abuses committed by the mili- tary within the framework of the “operations” against organised crime, was seriously injured when he was shot on August 31, 2009 when unknown

16 / See PRODH Centre Report, Sociedad amenazada. Violencia e impunidad, rostros del México actual, February 2010. 17 / The rubbish dump was closed for lack of compliance with environmental standards. However, approximately 1,500 tons of rubbish is dumped there every day, including biological, infectious and industrial waste. See PRODH Centre Report, Sociedad amenazada. Violencia e impunidad, rostros del México actual, February 2010. 18 / This dam affects more than 26,000 people. See PRODH Centre Report, Sociedad amenazada. Violencia e impunidad, rostros del México actual, February 2010. 19 / See IACtHR, Demanda ante la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos en el caso de Teodoro 190 Cabrera García y Rodolfo Montiel Flores (Caso 12.449) contra los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, June 24, 2009. Arreola families of four victims of extrajudicial executions committed by the military that brings into question the 22 derechos civiles, December ypolíticos 2009. 21, investigations the in made advances no been 2009, had of end the by but reported, were Front Civil Sinaloa people tried,andfailed, topeople throw stones atthe shelter again. premises of by the over organisation jumping the barrier, but seen, theyon being Later, left. a group of the enter to tried people two 2009, 28, October on addition, In here”.you want don’t “we shouting building of the organisation, breaking some windows, and threatening the members of the organisation, 25 assistance and human rights advice to Central American migrants who come through Saltillo, Coahuila. 24 for the61st anniversary ofthe Universal Human Rights Declaration, December 10, 2009. 23 fact that this case comes under military jurisdiction. Their demand has reached the Supreme Court of Justice. 21 February 2010. 20 place took Migrant, the for Place Resting Bethlehem, sation the of shelter.existence and the organi of the migrants Furthermore, intimidation actual repeated the and activities aid humanitarian the of legality Father against campaign smear a out carried channels media various context, this In status. irregular with migrants of presence the encouraged shelter the by provided aid humanitarian the that arguing and murderer of alleged the status irregular and on nationality the focusing the for ( Place Migrant” Resting “Bethlehem, organisation the that claimed media defamation rights migrant of defenders against harassment of Acts State. Juárez, Ciudad in army the of members faced 2009, against September he as a complaints during of result his work receiving risk high the and threats following temporarily abroad obliged move was to State, Chihuahua in Commission State Rights Human the Hickerson Rosa after asked and identity family her her of prove members to her asked they her; at guns their 12, up on at home her November pointed 2009. five At of military the least and harassment to who turned of the military members acts by more twenty than subjected intimidation was Front, Civil Sinaloa the of President house his into broke persons Judith Quintero Caballero, allegedly by a young man from Honduras, the the Honduras, from man young a by allegedly Caballero, Quintero Judith

/ /

/ / / / / / In 2009, defenders of migrant rights were the subject of harassment and and harassment of subject the were rights migrant of 2009,In defenders

See PRODH Centre Report, Report, Centre PRODH See

The Sinaloa Civic Front, together with the PRODH Centre and the Fundar organisation, represent the Bethlehem, Resting Place for the Migrant is an organisation that has been providing humanitarian See Report on Human Rights Defenders produced by various Mexican civil society organisations organisations society Mexicancivil various by produced Defenders Rights Human on Report See See PRODH Centre Report, For example, on October 25, 2009, around 2:30 am, a group of people threw stones against the the against stones threw people of group a am, 2:30 around 2009, 25, October on example, For , founder of the shelter, and his collaborators, questioning the the questioning collaborators, his and shelter, the of founder , Belén, Posada del Migrante del Posada Belén, 23 . Following the assassination in September 2009 of Ms. of 2009 Perla September in .assassination the Following , Inspector for Victim Support and Special Projects of of Projects Special and Support Victim for Inspector , Sociedad amenazada. Violencia e impunidad, rostros del México actual, 21 Sin controles, sin castigo: las violaciones del Estado mexicano a los a mexicano Estado del violaciones las castigo: sin controles, Sin . Both events carried out against members of the the of members against out carried events .Both 20 .Similarly,Ms. 22 ) . In addition, Mr. addition, In . 24 was responsible for the crime, crime, the for responsible was Mercedes Murillo Monge Murillo Mercedes Pedro Pantoja Pantoja Pedro Gustavo de la la de Gustavo l a u n n a 25 . This led led .This

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to the Public Security Department accepting the precautionary measures requested by the CNDH, which had still to be implemented effectively as of the end of 2009. Moreover, Father Alejandro Solalinde, Director of the shelter “Brothers on the Way” (Hermanos en el Camino) in Ixtepéc, Oaxaca State, continued to carry out his humanitarian work with migrants within a very unsafe environment. Threats against defenders fighting against the impunity of human rights violations Fighting against impunity also affects the security of human rights defenders. In Oaxaca State, in May 2009, the following defenders received death threats: Ms. Alba Cruz Ramos, lawyer at the 25 November Committee (Comité 25 de Noviembre), Ms. Yésica Sánchez Maya, lawyer at the Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality Consortium (Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad) in Oaxaca, Ms. Beatriz Casas Arellanes, lawyer at the “Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño” Human Rights Centre (Centro de Derechos Humanos “Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño”), and Father Romualdo Francisco Mayrén Peláez, Coordinator of the Justice and Peace Dioceses Commission (Comisión Diocesana de Justicia y Paz), who were defending the case of Mr. Marcelino Coache Verano. The latter was a victim of alleged torture, ill-treatment, threats and arbitrary deten- tion on various occasions for his activism with the People’s Assembly of Oaxaca Peoples (Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca – APPO). Moreover, the defenders or family members of defenders who seek formal justice were exposed to new attacks. For example, on January 14, 2009, in the State of Michoacán, a Prosecutor from the State Attorney General’s Office harassed and threatened Ms. Janahuy Paredes Lachino, daughter of

Mr. Francisco Paredes Ruiz26 , an activist at the Diego Lucero Foundation (Fundación Diego Lucero) who was victim of enforced disappearance in September 2007, forcing her to make a statement under pressure, interro- gating her about her travels in Mexico and abroad and asking her whether she knew if her father was a sympathiser of subversive groups, particularly the People’s Revolutionary Army (Ejército Popular Revolucionario – EPR). Threats against journalists committed to the fight against corruption and for crimes to be investigated The situation of journalists committed to fighting against corruption and to investigating crimes was also of concern, as they were victims of numer- ous threats and even assassinations during 2009. For example, Mr. Eliseo Barrón Hernández, journalist for the Opinión de Torreón newspaper, was

26 / The Diego Lucero A.C. Foundation is a civil organisation that promotes and defends human rights, 192 specialising in the fight for the life of the disappeared in Mexico. the municipality of Nuevo Casas Grandes, in Chihuahua in Grandes, Casas Nuevo of municipality the 31 29, 2009, No. 22/09, May 72009, andNo. 70/09, September 29, 2009. prevaleciente , 19,August 2009. See also IACHR Press Releases No. 54/09, July 30, 2009, No. 34/09, May CNDH, See Recommendation. General CNDH the in included are Samper Melo Ortega Carlos and Hernández Barrón Eliseo Gil, Martínez DanielJuan Messrs. of cases The cases. these of impunity prevailing the 30 29 28 27 telephone and email by threats serious to Algodonero”subjected case, was in the Juárez,of in witness “Campo women Ciudad an and expert sinations cartel Juárez the of members four of capture 5,fickers. On September 2009, Mr. the about had written Madrid traf Miranda drug of gangs between fights of result a as allegedly Grandes, Casas in insecurity public growing the about articles various written had Madrid newspaper digital the of Director Mr. of assassination the was against women, have themselves become victims of human rights viola Ms. instance, Fortions. rights human of victims become themselves have women, against defenders rights women’s against acts harassment and Threats ( Oil Mexican organisation parastatal to the in relation Government Federal in the of corruption levels the about by the published magazine for the reports in reprisal advertising ernmental) (gov official of withdrawal the and members its by suffered intimidation the by faced harassment judicial the mention to come may he that harm any for responsible Mayor Municipal the held he that claiming a column published even had and ties authori local the from threats received had he that stating publicised he Mayor, which Municipal the with argument an had had he assassination, his before just Furthermore, van. his to fire set and house his at fired had unknown persons assassination, his before of months Three activities authorities. the denounced frequently he Durango; in assassinated also was Samper Melo Ortega 2009 6, June on arrested “Zeta the being Group”of members five and suspended being officers police 300 than more in the in Torreónresulted police, which authority of municipal abuse on May 26, in Durango 2009.assassinated He a of had alleged covered case who has published numerous reports related to disappearances and assas and disappearances to related reports numerous published has who / / / / / Women’s rights defenders, particularly those who denounce violence violence denounce who those particularly defenders, rights Women’s See PRODHCentre.

See Reporters WithoutBorders(RSF)Press Releases, May 28andJune 16, 2009. In August 2009, the CNDH issued a general recommendation related to assaults on journalists and See CENCOS andArticle 19 Press Release, September 25, 2009. See LIMEDDH. Recomendación General 17 sobre los casos de agresiones a periodistas y la impunidad impunidad la y periodistas a agresiones de casos los sobre 17 General Recomendación , journalist for the Durango Durango the for ,journalist Rosa Isela Pérez Pérez Torres Isela Rosa Norberto Miranda Madrid “El Gallito” “El Madrid Miranda Norberto Radio Visión Radio Petróleos Mexicanos Mexicanos Petróleos 27 . On May 3, 2009, Mr. 2009, 3, May On . 30 . to Moreover, important is it Contralínea , on September 23, ,in 2009 September on , a well-known journalist journalist ,well-known a El Tiempo El 28 . Equally alarming alarming .Equally 29 – PEMEX) – magazine, the the magazine, . Mr. Miranda .Mr.Miranda l a u n n a newspaper newspaper

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32 that led to provisional measures being granted to her by the IACtHR . Ms. Pérez Torres has received threats since 2000 and has been subject to constant surveillance and monitoring that has also affected members of her family. This harassment has become pronounced since she covered the

events related to the murders of eight women in Campo Algodonero. At33 the end of 2009, Ms. Pérez Torres had fled the town for security reasons . Likewise, Ms. Lydia Cacho, a journalist and human rights defender, con- tinued to be subjected to harassment and serious threats. In July 2009, unidentified individuals patrolled and took photographs of Ms. Cacho’s home. Shortly afterwards she received death threats. During the same period, members of the Integrated Support Centre for Women (Centro Integral de Atención a la Mujer – CIAM), which Ms. Cacho presides, also received death threats. As a result of these events, in August 2009, the IACHR granted precautionary measures to Ms. Cacho, her family and the members of CIAM. Urgent Interventions issued by The Observatory in 2009

Names Violations / Follow-up Reference Date of Issuance Mr. Francisco Paredes Ruiz Threats / Enforced Urgent Appeal MEX January 22, 2009 disappearance 001/0109/OBS 012 Press Release / February 10, 2009 International Fact- Finding Mission Report Mr. Raúl Lucas Lucía and Enforced disappearance Urgent Appeal MEX February 18, 2009 Mr. Manuel Ponce Rosas 002/0209/OBS 029 Assassination Urgent Appeal MEX February 25, 2009 002/0209/OBS 029.1 Ms. Lourdes Argelia Rodríguez Surveillance / Urgent Appeal MEX March 13, 2009 Lucero and Mr. Prometeo Harassment / 003/0309/OBS 047 Jorge Rodríguez Lucero Assault / Threats Ms. Obtilia Eugenio Manuel Threats / Harassment / Urgent Appeal MEX March 30, 2009 and Messrs. Cuauhtémoc Arrests / Releases 004/0309/OBS 055 Ramírez Rodríguez, Raúl Lucas, Manuel Ponce, Natalio Ortega Cruz, Romualdo Santiago Enedina, Orlando Manzanarez Lorenzo, Manuel Cruz Victoriano, and Raúl Hernández Abundió / Me`phaa Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation (OPIM) and the “Tlachinollan” Mountain Human Rights Centre

32 / See IACtHR Resolution, July 6, 2009. 194 33 / See PRODH Centre. , José Manuel TorreJosé Hernández, , Ms. Nieves, Mr. Mr. Bethlehem, Resting Place for Place Resting Bethlehem, Lorenzo Mr. and Arellanes Casas Beatriz , Gonzáles OPIM / Messrs. Cuauhtémoc Messrs. / OPIM Ms. Ricardo Magdaleno Velasco Magdaleno Ricardo and Gordillo Cadenas Diego Mr. Ramírez Rodríguez, Ramírez Father Mr. the Migrant / Father / Migrant the Eugenio Cruz, Eugenio Roselio de la Cruz la de Roselio Messrs. José José Lorenzo, Manzanares Casas, A.C” Human Rights Human A.C” Casas, s and Mr. and Morales , Ms. MayaSánchez, Yésica , Dolores Mr. , Ms. Ramos, Cruz Alba Ms. Centre (Frayba) / Messrs. / (Frayba) Centre Hernández Martínez and Martínez Hernández “Fray Bartolomé de Las de Bartolomé “Fray Jorge Armando Gómez Armando Jorge Salomón Monárrez MerazMonárrez Salomón José Emiliano Nandayapa Emiliano José Mariano Abarca Roblero Abarca Mariano José Manuel Hernández Manuel José Margarita Martín de las de Martín Margarita Ricardo Lagunes Gasca Lagunes Ricardo Adolfo Guzmán Ordaz Guzmán Adolfo PantojaArreola Mayrén PeláezMayrén and his family his and Romualdo Francisco Romualdo and Raúl Hernández Raúl and PonceLola Martínez Abundio Merced Santiago Santiago Merced José Manuel de la de Manuel José Names Déciga Guadalupe Castro Guadalupe Félix Ortega Ortega Félix Santiago Santiago Braulio Pedro Harassment / Defamation / Harassment Arbitrary arrest / Assault / arrest Arbitrary psychological integrity / integrity psychological Detention / Harassment / Detention Violations / Follow-up / Violations Intimidation / Abuse of Abuse / Intimidation Assassination attempt Assassination authority / House raid House / authority Threats / Harassment / Threats Assault / Harassment / Assault Judicial harassment / harassment Judicial Arbitrary detention / detention Arbitrary Arbitrary detention Arbitrary Harassment / Fear / Harassment / Forced transfer / transfer Forced / Risk of impunity / impunity of Risk for physical and physical for Forced transfer Forced Serious assault Serious Death threats / threats Death Assassination Harassment / Harassment Mistreatment Harassment Harassment Assault 004/0309/OBS 055.1 004/0309/OBS 009/0909/OBS 139.1 009/0909/OBS Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent Urgent Appeal MEX Appeal Urgent MEX Appeal Urgent 010/1009/OBS 144.2 010/1009/OBS 010/1009/OBS 144.1 010/1009/OBS 006/0609/OBS 086 006/0609/OBS 011/1009/OBS 146.1 011/1009/OBS 005/0509/OBS 069 005/0509/OBS 007/0609/OBS 092 007/0609/OBS 009/0909/OBS 130 009/0909/OBS 009/0909/OBS 139 009/0909/OBS 008/0709/OBS 100 008/0709/OBS 010/1009/OBS 144 010/1009/OBS 012/1209/OBS 182 012/1209/OBS 011/1009/OBS 146 011/1009/OBS 013/1209/OBS 193 013/1209/OBS Reference l a u n n a December 18, 2009 18, December December 14, 2009 14, December September 2, 2009 2, September November 5, 2009 5, November November 2, 2009 2, November December 4, 2009 4, December Date of Issuance of Date October 22, 2009 22, October October 13, 2009 13, October October 9, 2009 9, October September 24, September November 20, November June 26, 2009 26, June June 23, 2009 23, June May 7, 2009 7, May July 7, 2009 7, July 2009 2009

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