UA Imminent Execution 6-3-09

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/uaa10309.pdf

Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have received the original UA when issued on April 21, 2009. Thanks!

03 June 2009

Further Information on 103/09 ( 21 April 2009) and follow-up (6 May 2009) - Torture/Threats/Legal Concern/Medical concern

MEXICO
Jeronimo Gomez Saragos, ]
Antonio Gomez Saragos, ] Members of the Tzeltal Indigenous community
Miguel Demeza Jimenez, ]
Sebastian Demeza Deara, ]
Pedro Demeza Deara ]
Jeronimo Moreno Deara, ]
Alfredo Gomez Moreno, ]
Miguel Vazquez Moreno ]

Eric Bautista Gomez, Member of grassroots farmers' organization

On 8 May, 8 men of the Tzeltal indigenous community of San Sebastian Bachajon, Chiapas state, were committed for trial. Since then charges against one of the men, Miguel Vazquez Moreno, have been dropped. However the remaining 7 men may be tried on the basis of statements taken after they had been tortured and threatened. The local human rights organization representing the 7 men have filed an appeal against their committal for trial.

All 8 men have stated that they were beaten at the time of their arrest and tortured while in the "Quinta Pitiquito" informal detention centre and then forced to give preliminary statements to representatives of the State Attorney General's Office implicating them in crimes of robbery. They did not have access to adequate legal representation, nor were they provided with an interpreter that speaks their indigenous language.

The 7 men who remain in prison claim that other inmates in "El Amate" prison, where they are now detained, are threatening them, with the acquiescence of prison officials. Three of the men, Jeronimo Gomez Saragos, Miguel Demeza Jimenez and Jeronimo Moreno Deara, have not received adequate medical attention for the injuries sustained when tortured and ill-treated whilst in pre-charge detention between 7 and 30 April.

The indigenous men were arrested in police operations in April. They are from the Tzeltal Indigenous community of San Sebastian Bachajon, Chilon municipality and are believed to be sympathisers of the National Zapatista Liberation Army (Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional, EZLN). They were formally charged with violent robbery and organised crime (robo con violencia y delincuencia organizada) and moved to "El Amate" state prison in Tuxtla Gutierrez on 1 May.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the previous UA and FU on this case we also asked you to take action on the case of Eric Bautista Gomez, member of grassroots farmers’ organisation, MOCRI-CNPA-MN, who was arrested in Tuxtla Gutierrez on 7 April and was held for three weeks in Quinta Pitiquito informal detention centre, where he was beaten and threatened. On 1 May he was charged with murder, fraud and criminal association (homicidio, fraude y asociacion delictuosa), and was remanded to "El Amate" state prison in Tuxtla Gutierrrez, where he reported that he was ill-treated by prison officials and other inmates for refusing to confess to the charges.

Since our last update, Eric Bautista was moved to Copanaila prison, Chiapas state, on 7th May. Amnesty International will continue to monitor his situation however no further action is required on his case at present.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling for the authorities to ensure that the seven men are not subject to ill-treatment by prison officials or other prisoners acting with the complicity of prison authorities;
- calling on the authorities to provide appropriate medical treatment Jeronimo Gomez Saragos, Miguel Demeza Jimenez and Jeronimo Moreno Deara, for the physical injuries they sustained when tortured and ill-treated whilst in pre-charge detention between 7 and 30 April.
- requesting that the authorities order a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into allegations of torture and ill treatment against suspects named above detained initially in pre-charge detention (arraigo) and subsequently in "El Amate" state prison in Tuxtla Gutierrez, for the findings to be made public and for those responsible to be held to account;
- urging the authorities to guarantee the right of all those in detention to a fair trial, including the exclusion of evidence from trial proceedings of any statements obtained under duress or through other violations of due process guarantees, such as statements rendered without access to adequate legal representation or appropriate interpreters.

APPEALS TO:
Governor of Chiapas State
Lic. Juan Jose Sabines Guerrero
Gobernador del Estado de Chiapas
Palacio de Gobierno, 1o piso, Col. Centro,
C.29000, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 961 618 8088
Email: juansabines@chiapas.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Governor/Senor Gobernador

Chiapas State Prosecutor
Mtro. Raciel Lopez Salazar
Procurador General de Justicia del Estado de Chiapas
Libramiento Norte y Rosa del Oriente, no. 2010,
Col. El Bosque,
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, CP 29000, MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 961 616 5724
Email: raciel.lopez@mje.chiapas.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Attorney / Senor Procurador

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

COPIES TO:
Centro de Derechos Humanos ‘‘Fray Bartolome de las Casas’‘ A.C.
Brasil, no. 14 Barrio Mexicanos, CP 29240
San Cristobal de las Casas, MEXICO
Email: accionurgente@frayba.org.mx

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 15 July.

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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.

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