Raúl Gatica writes…
To:
Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico: enrique.penanieto@presidencia.gob.mx
L. Raúl González P., President of Mexico’s Human Rights Commission: correo@cndh.org.mx
Gabino Cué Monteagudo, Governor of Oaxaca: gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx
We write to you to express our grave concern for the safety of members of the Oaxacan civil-society organization Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaca – Ricardo Flores Magón (CIPO-RFM), who have recently been targets of anonymous death threats as well as threatening behavior by officers of the police.
On Friday, 23 January 2015, two men who identified themselves as police officers demanded to enter the organization’s house in Santa Lucía del Camino, refusing, however, to state the objective of their visit. When they were denied entry by those inside the house they yelled and kicked the door of the property. Last month, on 13 December 2014, members of CIPO-RFM were stopped by police forces while traveling in their car and detained for two hours until they were able to receive help from the Oaxacan Human Rights Commission.
These acts by Oaxaca’s police forces take place in a broader climate of intimidation. In particular, on 9 January 2015 a lawyer charged with defending Pablo López Alavéz, a CIPO-RFM member who since 2010 has been imprisoned on trumped-up charges and is still awaiting the completion of his trial, received anonymous threats against the life of himself and his family.
We are concerned that the death threats against Pablo López Alavéz’s lawyer and the intimidation tactics used by the police against members of CIPO-RFM are connected. We urge you to take immediate measures to assure the safety of all members of the organization as well as all those connected with it. And we demand that you fully investigate the irregular and threatening behavior of the Oaxacan provincial police.
Please keep us informed about any steps you intend to take in this matter.
Sincerely,