Urgent Action 3-25-09

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa08209.pdf

25 March 2009

UA 82/09 Fear for safety

MEXICO Miguel Angel Casillas Baez (m), his family and other journalists of the newspaper,
Diario de los Altos

Miguel Angel Casillas, editorial director of local newspaper, Diario de los Altos, was
threatened on 18 March2009 by a man claiming to be an official in charge of the Zetas’
department (a notoriously criminal organization responsible for hundreds of murders). The
threat was made because Miguel Angel Casillas, and the newspaper he works for, have given
critical coverage to a dam development project in el Zapotillo, Los Altos region, Jalisco
state.

On 18 March, Miguel Angel Casillas received an anonymous call on his mobile from a man
saying "We know who you are, where you live, where you go, who your family are, and we
want to know how you are going to cooperate with us" (sabemos quien es usted, sabemos
donde vive, sabemos como se mueve, sabemos quien es su familia y queremos saber como piensa
colaborar con nosotros). The caller insinuated that he was acting on the behalf of a
politician who wished to damage Miguel Angel Casillas, and added that "from this point on,
you and your family are at risk" (corre peligro a partir de ahora, usted y su familia).

The day before receiving the anonymous phone call, Miguel Angel Casillas noticed that both
his personal email and that of the newspaper he works for had been hacked. The hackers had
left a message stating that "Today the email of the newspaper has been kidnapped. Careful
what you publish we don’t want to hurt anyone. Regards from Jalisco State Congress, from a
friend that likes you a lot and is watching anxiously over you. Rightist Jalisco." (Hoy
el secuestro fue del korreo elektonico del medio kuidado kon lo ke publican no keremos
lastimar a nadie. Saludos desde el congreso de Jalisco de un amigo que te quiere mucho y te
vigila con ansias de encontrarte. Yunque Jalisco)

Miguel Angel Casillas has submitted a official complaint with the Jalisco State Public
Prosecutor’s Office and the State Human Rights Commission.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The project to build el Zapotillo dam in Jalisco state on the Rio Verde has led to concern
among local communities, particularly those of Temacapulin, Palmarejo and Acasico, which
will be flooded. Despite previous commitments by the state government to consult the
public on the project, the Diario de los Altos and local human rights organizations have
been critical of the project and the failure of the authorities to consult adequately with
local communities or provide reliable and detailed information on impact and compensation
packages.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling for safety measure to be provided for Miguel Angel Casillas Baez, his family and
other journalists at the Diario de los Altos, and for protection measures to be implemented
in accordance with their wishes;
- call on the authorities to instigate a thorough, prompt and impartial investigation into
the email and telephone threats against Miguel Angel Casillas, including any possible links
to local politicians, for the results to be made public and for those responsible to be
held to account;
- call on the authorities to fulfill their obligations under the UN Declaration on the
Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and
Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and ensure that human
rights defenders can carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of
reprisals.

APPEALS TO:
Governor of Jalisco
Emilio Gonzalez Marquez
Gobernador del Estado de Jalisco
Palacio de Gobierno
Av. Corona No. 31, Planta Baja
Col. Centro
Guadalajara C.P. 44100
Estado de Jalisco
MEXICO
Fax: (011 52 33) 36 48 1601/02
Email: emilio.gonzalez@jalisco.gob.mx
Salutation:Dear Governor/ Senor Gobernador

Attorney General of Jalisco
Lic. Tomas Coronado Olmos
Procurador del Estado de Jalisco
Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado
Calle 14 no. 2567
Colonia Zona Industrial
Guadalajara, C.P. 44940
Estado de Jalisco
MEXICO
Salutation: Dear Attorney/ Senor Procurador

Minister of Interior
Lic. Fernando Francisco Gomez-Mont Urueta
Secretaria de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso
Col. Juarez, Del. Cuauhtemoc,
Mexico D.F., C.P.06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5093 3414
E-mail: secretario@segob.gob.mx
Salutation: Senor Secretario/Dear Minister

COPIES TO:
Human Rights organization
Instituto Mexicano Para el Desarrollo Comunitario (IMDEC), A.C.
A.C. Pino 2237-A, Col. del Fresno, Guadalajara, Jalisco C.P 44900
MEXICO

Human Rights Commission of Jalisco
Lic. Felipe de Jesus Alvarez Cibrian, Presidente de la Comision Estatal de Derechos Humanos
de Jalisco, Pedro Moreno No. 1616, Col. Americana, Guadalajara C.P. 44160, Estado de
Jalisco,
MEXICO
Fax: (011 52 33) 36 69 11 01
Salutation: Dear President/ Senor Presidente

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx



PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 6 May.

3-10-09

Petition for Palestinian Refugees:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=11886&ICID=R0903A1&tr=y&auid=4597146

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URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa06409.pdf

9 March 2009

UA 64/09 Torture/ill-treatment/Fear for safety/Death threats

MEXICO Jesus Arturo Torres Parra (m), aged 18

Jesus Arturo Torres Parra was unlawfully detained, then beaten and threatened with death by federal police officers in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua state on 3 March. He was released a few hours later, though he fears that he and his family are at risk of further attacks.According to Jesus Arturo Torres, on the evening of 3 March, he was at home with his family, when a group of uniformed Federal Preventive Police officers (Policia Federal Preventiva, PFP), smashed the front door and broke in. Without any explanation or warrant, they handcuffed him and bundled him into a pick up truck. Eyewitnesses noted that the vehicle had PFP markings and recorded the number plates which they later passed on to federal authorities. The PFP has the mandate and powers to combat organized crime nationwide.

Jesus Arturo Torres was then beaten and threatened for three hours inside the vehicle. During that time, he was questioned about individuals of whom he had no knowledge and has reported that one of the officers told him that "if you don't tell us what we want to know, we will take you to Chapo Guzman [a notorious drug trafficker and killer] so he'll make you talk, or we will just kill you and dump you in the desert" (si no dices nada de lo que te preguntamos, te vamos a llevar con el Chapo Guzman para que te haga hablar, o te matamos y te echamos al desierto). He was then released in a different part of Chihuahua City and threatened with death if he reported the incident.

The following day Jesus Arturo Torres filed a complaint with the Federal Attorney General's Office (Procuraduria General de la Republica, PGR) in Chihuahua City and the Chihuahua State Human Rights Commission.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 2007 organized crime related violence has spiraled in Mexico. In 2008, media reported that more than 5000 people were killed in violent incidents attributed to organized crime, at least 1500 of them in Chihuahua State alone. President Calderon's administration has attempted to deal with the spiraling violent crime by deploying thousands of federal police and some 45000 military personnel in the worst affected areas. However this has not resulted in a reduction in crime -- (in Chihuahua the governor requested federal intervention). Reports of unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detentions and illegal house searches by members of the military and police personnel have increased, many of which fail to be adequately investigated.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- urging the authorities to ensure that Jesus Arturo Torres Parra and his family are given appropriate protection, in accordance with their wishes, following the his unlawful detention and ill-treatment on 3 March by Federal Preventive
Police;
- calling on the authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into his apparent unlawful detention and ill-treatment and hold those responsible to account;
- calling for effective measures to ensure police and military anti-crime operations are carried out in accordance with the law and international human rights standards, and that any alleged abuses are promptly and impartially investigated.

APPEALS TO:

Attorney General of the Republic
Lic. Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
Procurador General de la Republica
Procuraduria General de la Republica
Av. Paseo de la Reforma nº 211-213, Piso 16
Col. Cuauhtemoc, Delegacion Cuauhtemoc
Mexico D.F., C.P. 06500
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 53 46 09 08
Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Senor Procurador General

Minister of Public Security
Lic. Genaro Garcia Luna
Secretaria de Seguridad Publica
Constituyentes n° 947, edif. "B" planta alta, Col. Belen
de las Flores, Del. Alvaro Obregon
Mexico D.F., C.P. 01110
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 1103 6026 (if someone answers, say "me da tono de fax, por favor")
Email: genaro.garcia@ssp.gob.mx
Salutation: Senor Secretario/Dear Minister

Minister of Interior
Lic. Fernando Francisco Gomez-Mont Urueta
Secretaria de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso
Col. Juarez, Del. Cuauhtemoc
Mexico D.F., C.P.06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5093 3414
E-mail: secretario@segob.gob.mx
Salutation: Senor Secretario/Dear Minister

COPIES TO:

Human Rights organization
Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres A.C.
Av. Juarez No. 4107 Col. Centro
Chihuahua, Chih.
MEXICO

Human Rights Commission of Chihuahua
Lic. Jose Luis Armendariz Gonzalez
Presidente de la Comision Estatal de Derechos Humanos de
Chihuahua
Calle Decima y Mina, 1000
Col. Centro
C.P. 31000, Chihuahua
MEXICO

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx


PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 20 April 2009.


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Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible to the date a case is issued.

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Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566

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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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Beatings

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa34208.pdf

Note: Please write on behalf of this person even though you may not have
received the original UA when issued on December 12, 2008. Thanks!

03 March 2009

Further Information on 342/08 (12 December 2008) and follow-up (10 February 2009) -
Torture/ill-treatment/health concern/non-provision of medical care/intimidation/harassment

RUSSIAN FEDERATION Zubair Isaevich Zubairaev (m), aged about 30

Zubair Zubairaev has again reportedly been severely beaten on both 18 and 24 February 2009.
On a recent visit to the prison, his lawyer saw the marks from the beatings on his face and
has stated that Zubair Zubairaev’s health has been gravely affected. Wounds on his legs
from previous alleged beatings and incidents of torture are not healing and are festering.
He is not receiving adequate medical care. After the most recent incidents he was placed in
an isolation cell as punishment for allegedly possessing a painkilling tablet.

In August 2007 Zubair Zubairaev was sentenced to five years in a high security prison and
sent to prison colony IAR-154/25 in Frolovo, Volgograd region. According to sources close
to Zubair Zubairaev, he was tortured and otherwise ill-treated by prison colony officers
throughout the period he was held there. This included the use of electric shocks. The
sources reported that he was also repeatedly beaten with plastic bottles filled with water,
as well as with truncheons and rifle butts, until he fainted, after which guards revived
him in order to continue the beatings. No medical help was provided and the injuries he
received were not recorded.

After making several complaints about being tortured and ill-treated, Zubair Zubairaev was
transferred to prison colony No 9 in Volgograd. In February 2008 he was admitted to prison
hospital LIU-15 in Volgograd; however, the beatings and other ill-treatment from the prison
officers continued. Zubair Zubairaev complained again about his treatment to the
authorities. This resulted in an inspection of the prison hospital in October 2008 by the
Volgograd regional prosecutor, which, however, found no fault with the prison authorities.

Officials at the prison, as well as an official from the Volgograd Public Prosecutor’s
office, are said to have verbally threatened Zubair Zubairaev that if he does not stop
complaining about his treatment in detention, his prison sentence will be extended or he
might "accidentally" die in prison. They also made threats against his family, saying
"something might happen" to his sisters.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Amnesty International regularly receives reports of torture or other ill-treatment in
places of detention across the Russian Federation, including in prison colonies, and of the
frequent failure of the authorities to investigate effectively such allegations and to
bring those suspected of violations to justice. In February 2007, the UN Committee against
Torture expressed its concern regarding the inadequate health care provided to people in
pre-trial detention centers and prison colonies.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling on prison authorities to ensure immediately that Zubair Zubairaev is not
subjected to torture or other ill-treatment, including psychological;
- calling for an immediate, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the
allegations of torture or other ill-treatment and threats against Zubair Zubairaev and his
family, with the results made public, and for those found responsible to be brought to
justice;
- expressing concern at reports that Zubair Zubairaev is still not receiving the medical
treatment he needs;
- urging that Zubair Zuibairaev is examined by independent doctors and receives all
necessary medical care, in accordance with provisions set out in the UN Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

APPEALS TO:
Mansvetov Andrei Igorevich
Director of the prison colony IAR-154/15
Uchrezhdenie IAR-154/15
400048 Volgograd
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Fax: 011 7 8442 35 57 00
Salutation: Dear Director

Yurii Ivanovich Kalinin
Director of the Federal Service for Execution of Sentences
Federal Service for Execution of Sentences
Ul. Zhitnaia, 14
119991 GSP-1, Moscow
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Fax: 011 7 495 982 1930
Salutation: Dear Director

Yurii Yakovlevich Chaika
Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation
Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation
Ul. Bolshaia Dmitrovka 15a
125 993 Moscow
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Fax: 011 7 495 692 1725 (fax may be switched off outside of office hours (four hours ahead of GMT)
Salutation: Dear Prosecutor General

COPIES TO:
Vladimir Petrovich Lukin
Ombudsperson for Human Rights of the Russian Federation
Miasnitskaia ul. 47
107084 Moscow
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Fax: 011 7 495 60739 77
Salutation: Dear Ombudsperson

Leonid Leontievich Beliak
Prosecutor of Volgograd region
Pr.Lenina, 8
400066 Volgograd
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Email: pochtaproc@vlpost.ru
Salutation: Dear Prosecutor

Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak
Embassy of the Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Fax: 1 202 298 5735
Email: russ-amb@cerfnet.com (Currently unavailable)


PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 14 April.


----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible to the date a case is issued.

** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.27 - Postcards
$0.42 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico and Canada:
$0.72 - Postcards
$0.72 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.94 - Postcards
$0.94 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)

Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human
rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop
action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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