Mexico must investigate torture of two peasant farmers
The Mexican authorities must carry out an impartial investigation into the torture of two members of a peasant organization in Chiapas State, after they were arrested without a warrant, Amnesty International has said.
Roselio de la Cruz González and José Manuel de la Torre Hernández , who are currently held in a state prison, were blindfolded, bound and beaten during their interrogation, their lawyer said.
Roselio de la Cruz was beaten and threatened with death, while officials held a plastic bag over the head of José Manuel de la Torre until he almost suffocated. He was then forced to inhale water until he passed out.
Both men were forced to sign papers which they were not allowed to read.
Amnesty International also expressed its concern for a third member of the same organization, José Manuel Hernández Martínez, who is being held 2,000km away, where he is unable to see his lawyer and family.
All three men are accused of illegally occupying land in 2005.
Roselio de la Cruz González and Manuel de la Torre Hernández were both detained by Chiapas state police on 24 October.
The arrests took place during a raid in the Venustiano Carranza municipality on the homes of several members of Organización Campesina Emiliano Zapata (”Emiliano Zapata” Peasant Organisation, OCEZ).
José Manuel Hernández Martínez, a fellow OCEZ member, was arrested on 30 September.
On 16 October he was moved to a federal prison 2,000 km away. This is too far for his family and lawyer to visit him, meaning he is effectively held incommunicado.
Amnesty International has urged the Mexican authorities to:
- guarantee that Roselio de la Cruz and José Manuel de la Torre will not be tortured further or otherwise ill-treated;
- conduct an impartial investigation into their torture, with those responsible brought to justice;
- ensure that the two men are either released immediately, or charged promptly with a recognizably criminal offence and tried fairly according to international standards, with any evidence obtained through torture ruled inadmissible;
- ensure that José Manuel Hernández Martínez has immediate access to his family and lawyer.
Statement from Andrei Zatoka in the Case that He Should Be Arrested
I request that this letter be given to the General Prosecutor of Turkmenistan, the Embassy of the Russian Federation of Turkmenistan and the representative of the OSCE in the instance of my arrest, disappearance or unfortunate circumstance.
Sri Lanka must investigate death threats against two more journalists
The Sri Lankan authorities must act to ensure the safety of two female editors at a national newspaper who received death threats last week, Amnesty International said.
The organization also called for an immediate investigation into the threats, received by Frederica Jansz, Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Leader, and the newspaper’s News Editor, Munza Mushataq.
The threats, which were written in red ink, were delivered by post to the newspaper on 22 October.
The founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was murdered in January three weeks after receiving a similar death threat also written in red ink.
No one has yet been prosecuted for his murder.
The most recent threats relate to the coverage by the Sunday Leader of a video, broadcast on UK TV station Channel Four in August, which allegedly showed Sri Lankan soldiers executing Tamil prisoners.
The Sri Lankan government has stated that the video had been faked, but on 18 October the Sunday Leader printed an article on its front page, highlighting a report that an analysis of the video had concluded that the footage had not been tampered with or edited.
The threatening letters were postmarked 21 October, just three days after the newspaper ran its controversial story. Both letters included text saying "if you write anymore, we will kill you, [and] slice you into pieces".
The journalists reported the threat to Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police, and also to local police in the capital, Colombo. However, no action has yet been taken by the authorities.
In September, Dileesha Abeysundera, who works for the Sinhala-language edition of the Sunday Leader and also campaigns for greater press freedom in Sri Lanka, was threatened.
There have been numerous serious attacks on the staff of the Sunday Leader and its publishers. Its offices have been burnt down, bombed and sealed several times.
Over the past three years, numerous journalists have been detained in Sri Lanka while others have fled the country. At least 14 media workers have been killed. Investigations have not resulted in prosecutions.
AU: Back Mbeki Panel Call for Darfur Prosecutions
(New York) – The African Union (AU) should support the High-Level Panel on Darfur’s call for prosecutions to provide justice for victims in Darfur, Human Rights Watch said today.
Sri Lanka must investigate as two more journalists receive death threats
The Sri Lankan authorities must act to ensure the safety of two female editors at a national newspaper who received death threats last week, Amnesty International said.
The organization also called for an immediate investigation into the threats, received by Frederica Jansz, Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Leader, and the newspaper’s News Editor, Munza Mushataq.
The threats, which were written in red ink, were delivered by post to the newspaper on 22 October.
The founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was murdered in January three weeks after receiving a similar death threat also written in red ink.
No one has yet been prosecuted for his murder.
The most recent threats relate to the coverage by the Sunday Leader of a video, broadcast on UK TV station Channel Four in August, which allegedly showed Sri Lankan soldiers executing Tamil prisoners.
The Sri Lankan government has stated that the video had been faked, but on 18 October the Sunday Leader printed an article on its front page, highlighting a report that an analysis of the video had concluded that the footage had not been tampered with or edited.
The threatening letters were postmarked 21 October, just three days after the newspaper ran its controversial story. Both letters included text saying "if you write anymore, we will kill you, [and] slice you into pieces".
The journalists reported the threat to Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police, and also to local police in the capital, Colombo. However, no action has yet been taken by the authorities.
In September, Dileesha Abeysundera, who works for the Sinhala-language edition of the Sunday Leader and also campaigns for greater press freedom in Sri Lanka, was threatened.
There have been numerous serious attacks on the staff of the Sunday Leader and its publishers. Its offices have been burnt down, bombed and sealed several times.
Over the past three years, numerous journalists have been detained in Sri Lanka while others have fled the country. At least 14 media workers have been killed. Investigations have not resulted in prosecutions.
US: Obama Announces End to HIV Travel Ban
President Barack Obama’s announcement today that national travel and immigration restrictions on people living with HIV will be removed should have positive consequences for public health and other countries with similar restrictions should follow suit, Human Rights Watch said.
Taleban must immediately stop targeting civilians in Afghanistan
Amnesty International has condemned the Taleban’s attack on a guesthouse hosting staff from the United Nations in Kabul on Wednesday, that killed at least six civilian UN staff.
The Taleban took responsibility for the incident and threatened more such attacks in the run up to the second round of the highly contested presidential elections, scheduled for 7 November.
The attack is the worst on the UN in Afghanistan since the United States and its allies helped oust the Taleban in 2001.
In a public statement on Wednesday, Amnesty International reminded the Taleban that attacks targeting civilians constitute war crimes.
The organization said that if, as the Taleban suggest, this attack is part of a strategy of widespread or systematic attacks on the civilian population, carried out in pursuit of the Taleban’s policy of disrupting the upcoming elections, this attack could also constitute a crime against humanity.
War crimes and crimes against humanity are among the most serious crimes under international law. Amnesty International said that the Taleban must immediately end such attacks.
Those suspected of carrying the attacks out or ordering them must be brought to justice.
Millions of Afghans remain dependent on international assistance for basic needs such as food, water, healthcare and education.
The attack on the UN significantly harms the already constrained ability of aid workers to assist Afghans, particularly those in conflict-affected areas in the country’s south and east.
Honduras: Investigate Abuses, Repeal Repressive Measures
(Washington, DC) – The restoration of constitutional order in Honduras should be accompanied by the immediate repeal of repressive decrees issued by the de facto government, and a full investigation of abuses committed in the aftermath of the coup, Human Rights Watch said today.
Honduras radio journalists dealt further blow to freedom of expression
Amnesty International has denounced an attack on the freedom of the press in Honduras, following the cancellation of three radio programmes by a popular radio station’s managers who cited a controversial presidential decree to justify their action.
Normally broadcast on the Radio Cadena Voices station, the programmes La Bullaranga, Entre Chonas and Tiempo de Hablar are largely produced and controlled by women and young people.
"The arbitrary termination of such programmes deals another blow to freedom of expression and curtails the Honduran population’s access to information and discussion forums" said Javier Zuñiga, Special Adviser in Amnesty International’s Secretriat.
The programme managers were informed in writing by the directors of Grupo INVOSA, owners of the station, that their broadcasts "failed to promote peace” and “discredited” the electoral process, therefore violating an emergency presidential decree issued by the de facto government.
The decree cited has since been annulled, however the programmes remain suspended.
"The pulling of these programmes has promoted an increased atmosphere of fear and intimidation for journalists, " said Javier Zuñiga. "It also demonstrates the de facto authorities’ intolerance of free discussion and expression of views, particularly any views which may be contrary to their own."
Amnesty International has urged the de facto authorities to comply with measures imposed by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, to ensure that media workers and outlets in Honduras can carry out their work free from intimidation and threats.
On 23 October 2009 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights placed the workers of the stations Canal 36, Radio Catracha, Cholusat Sur Radio and Radio Globo onto the list of those to be protected by medidas cautelares (provisional measures) after they had been shut down by Presidential decree.
Human rights abuses in Honduras have increased since the democratically elected President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales was forced from power on 28 June and expelled from the country by a military-backed group led by Roberto Micheletti, former leader of the National Congress.
There has been widespread unrest in the country since the coup d’etat with frequent clashes between the police, military and civilian protestors. At least two people have died after being shot during protests.
On 19 August Amnesty International published testimonies and evidence which documented excessive use of force and beating of protestors by police in a report titled Honduras: Human rights crisis threatens, as violence and repression increase. The report was based on evidence gathered by the organization during a fact-finding mission 28 July – 1 August 2009.
The organization is calling for the de facto authorities to ensure Honduran citizens can freely access information – particularly vital during the current crisis.
Japan: Protect Burmese Rohingya Seeking Asylum
(Tokyo) – Japan’s new administration should protect Burmese Rohingya asylum seekers in Japan and press Burma to end abuses against the minority group, eight Japanese and international organizations said today. The groups sent a joint letter to the newly inaugurated justice minister, Keiko Chiba, and foreign minister, Katsuya Okada.