August 18th, 2003
Today's edition of the Mexican newspaper La Jornada contained a report on the murder of CARLOS SANCHEZ LOPEZ, a member of the state legislature and one of the leaders of the Peasant, Worker and Student Coalition of the Isthmus (COCEI), who is also the legal advisor to the Union Hidalgo Citizens Committee.
On the night of Saturday August 16th 2003, Lic. Sanchez told his family that he was going to go to Union Hidalgo for a meeting with members of the Citizens Committee. Early the following morning, his body was found on a street in Juchitan . He had apparently been bludgeoned to death. The Office of the State Attorney General has opened file #415(11) 2003 for the preliminary investigation of what they consider to be a case of "qualified homicide".
According to La Jornada, Carlos Sánchez, was a native of Juchitán. He was married and forty–nine years of age, a brother of the federal congressman Hector Sánchez, and, as stated above, legal advisor to the Union Hidalgo Citizens Committee.
A representative of COCEI is reported to have stated that "this assassination constitutes another element in the climate of instability ... that we are living in Oaxaca, where the governor José Murat has permitted the impunity of the local political bosses (caciques)."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Commenting on the recent assassination of human rights defender Griselda Tirado in the state of Puebla (see Urgent Action #1018 August 12th 2003), Mexican social analyst Rafael Alvarez made the observation that "it is inadmissible to speak of the rule of law in Mexico at the same time that nothing happens when human rights defenders are threatened and even assassinated ... In our country, local human rights defenders working in small communities or in conflictive regions are especially vulnerable. The limited governmental attempts – when there have been any such efforts – to offer protection to those in danger are far from meeting the needs of the human rights defenders who risk their life dedicating themselves to their profession."
Sr. Alvarez went on to comment, "the best guarantee of security for human rights defenders is for those who commit these crimes to be brought before the law, that is to say for impunity to be brought to an end through the punishment of the perpetrators and planners (of these crimes)."
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please write to the Mexican government to express your shock and sadness at learning of the assassination of Lic. Carlos Sánchez López. Please ask for a complete investigation leading to the punishment according to the law of all those in any way involved in planning or perpetrating this crime.
Please point out to the Mexican government that this is the second assassination of a human rights defender to have taken place during the month of August alone. Please remind the Mexican government that they have a responsibility, in accordance with international human rights declarations, to safeguard the physical integrity of human rights defenders and to ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate activities without hindrance or reprisals.
Please inform the Canadian government of this latest crime against a Mexican human rights defender, stressing that this is the second such crime to occur in two weeks.
Noting that there has been previous collaboration between the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Mexican Human Rights Commission and that in October 2003 (when the diagnostic report on the human rights situation in Mexico now being drawn up by the Mexico office of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights will be ready) the Mexican government is expected to undertake a major programme of human rights reform, please ask the Canadian government if they envisage Canada's being invited and able to offer any support to this process.
ADDRESSES:
For Mexico:
Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de Los Pinos
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico D.F., C.P. 11850,
MEXICO
FAX: 011 52 55 522 4117 or 516 9537 or 515 1794
radio@presidencia.gob.mx webadmon@op.presidencia.gob.mx
Please send copies of your letters to:
Lic. Ricardo Sepúlveda
Director General de Derechos Humanos
Secretaria de Gobernación (Ministry of the Interior)
Reforma 99, Colonia Tabacalera
CP 006030, Mexico D.F., MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 51 28 02 34
rsepulveda@segob.gob.mx
Lic. José Murat Casab
Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Oaxaca
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México
Fax: 011–52–951–516–3737 (If possible, please send your messge by fax)
gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx
Her Excellency María Teresa García
Ambassador for Mexico
45 O'Connor Street, suite 1500
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A4
FAX: 613 235 9123
info@embamexcan.com
For Canada:
Hon. Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
FAX: 613 996 9607 Graham.b@parl.gc.ca
Ms. Susan Gregson, Director
Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and International Women's Equality Division (AGH)
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive, B4
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
FAX: 613 943 0606
susan.gregson.agh@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
If possible, please also send copies of your letters to the CCU at sonseluna@hotmail.com
The legal advisor of the union Hidalgo citizens committee is assassinated in Juchitan, Oaxaca,
Today's edition of the Mexican newspaper La Jornada contained a report on the murder of CARLOS SANCHEZ LOPEZ, a member of the state legislature and one of the leaders of the Peasant, Worker and Student Coalition of the Isthmus (COCEI), who is also the legal advisor to the Union Hidalgo Citizens Committee.
On the night of Saturday August 16th 2003, Lic. Sanchez told his family that he was going to go to Union Hidalgo for a meeting with members of the Citizens Committee. Early the following morning, his body was found on a street in Juchitan . He had apparently been bludgeoned to death. The Office of the State Attorney General has opened file #415(11) 2003 for the preliminary investigation of what they consider to be a case of "qualified homicide".
According to La Jornada, Carlos Sánchez, was a native of Juchitán. He was married and forty–nine years of age, a brother of the federal congressman Hector Sánchez, and, as stated above, legal advisor to the Union Hidalgo Citizens Committee.
A representative of COCEI is reported to have stated that "this assassination constitutes another element in the climate of instability ... that we are living in Oaxaca, where the governor José Murat has permitted the impunity of the local political bosses (caciques)."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Commenting on the recent assassination of human rights defender Griselda Tirado in the state of Puebla (see Urgent Action #1018 August 12th 2003), Mexican social analyst Rafael Alvarez made the observation that "it is inadmissible to speak of the rule of law in Mexico at the same time that nothing happens when human rights defenders are threatened and even assassinated ... In our country, local human rights defenders working in small communities or in conflictive regions are especially vulnerable. The limited governmental attempts – when there have been any such efforts – to offer protection to those in danger are far from meeting the needs of the human rights defenders who risk their life dedicating themselves to their profession."
Sr. Alvarez went on to comment, "the best guarantee of security for human rights defenders is for those who commit these crimes to be brought before the law, that is to say for impunity to be brought to an end through the punishment of the perpetrators and planners (of these crimes)."
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please write to the Mexican government to express your shock and sadness at learning of the assassination of Lic. Carlos Sánchez López. Please ask for a complete investigation leading to the punishment according to the law of all those in any way involved in planning or perpetrating this crime.
Please point out to the Mexican government that this is the second assassination of a human rights defender to have taken place during the month of August alone. Please remind the Mexican government that they have a responsibility, in accordance with international human rights declarations, to safeguard the physical integrity of human rights defenders and to ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate activities without hindrance or reprisals.
Please inform the Canadian government of this latest crime against a Mexican human rights defender, stressing that this is the second such crime to occur in two weeks.
Noting that there has been previous collaboration between the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Mexican Human Rights Commission and that in October 2003 (when the diagnostic report on the human rights situation in Mexico now being drawn up by the Mexico office of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights will be ready) the Mexican government is expected to undertake a major programme of human rights reform, please ask the Canadian government if they envisage Canada's being invited and able to offer any support to this process.
ADDRESSES:
For Mexico:
Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de Los Pinos
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, Mexico D.F., C.P. 11850,
MEXICO
FAX: 011 52 55 522 4117 or 516 9537 or 515 1794
radio@presidencia.gob.mx webadmon@op.presidencia.gob.mx
Please send copies of your letters to:
Lic. Ricardo Sepúlveda
Director General de Derechos Humanos
Secretaria de Gobernación (Ministry of the Interior)
Reforma 99, Colonia Tabacalera
CP 006030, Mexico D.F., MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 51 28 02 34
rsepulveda@segob.gob.mx
Lic. José Murat Casab
Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Oaxaca
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México
Fax: 011–52–951–516–3737 (If possible, please send your messge by fax)
gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx
Her Excellency María Teresa García
Ambassador for Mexico
45 O'Connor Street, suite 1500
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A4
FAX: 613 235 9123
info@embamexcan.com
For Canada:
Hon. Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
FAX: 613 996 9607 Graham.b@parl.gc.ca
Ms. Susan Gregson, Director
Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs and International Women's Equality Division (AGH)
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive, B4
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
FAX: 613 943 0606
susan.gregson.agh@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
If possible, please also send copies of your letters to the CCU at sonseluna@hotmail.com