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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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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