[PEN-L:2452] E;Amn.Int'l, Hum.Rights Advocate Threatened, Jan 16 (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

> +------------------------------------------------------+
> +     AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION BULLETIN     +
> +     Electronic distribution authorised               +
> +     This bulletin expires: 7 March 1996.             +
> +------------------------------------------------------+
>
> EXTERNAL                                             AI Index: AMR 41/01/96
>
> UA 09/96                Threats / Fear for safety           16 January 1996
>
> MEXICO                  Rocio Culebro (f), human rights activist
>                         and other human rights activists
>
>
> On 12 January 1996 Rocio Culebro, coordinator of La Red Nacional de
> Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos "Todos los Derechos para todos",
> National Network of Non-governmental Human Rights Organizations "Full
> Rights for Everybody", based in Mexico City, received a series of anonymous
> phone calls at her home.  In a call at 8pm the caller reportedly told her
> all the details about her home and the people who were with her at that
> moment.  He then threatened her, saying that he would go to her home
> immediately to harm her.
>
> The threats came the day before Rocio Culebro was due to travel to the
> Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American
> States (OAS) in Washington DC, USA, in order to present the National
> Network's third report on the massacre at Aguas Blancas, Guerrero state, on
> 28 June 1995 in which 17 peasants were killed by members of the security
> forces (see UA 159/95, AMR 41/15/95, 5 July and follow-ups AMR 41/16/95, 26
> July and AMR 41/18/95, 17 August).  Following allegations of irregularities
> in the post-mortem on the bodies of the 17 victims, Judge Adolfo Vanmeeter
> Roque has ordered their exhumation to try to verify the cause and manner of
> death.
>
> As investigations into the massacre continue, Amnesty International remains
> extremely concerned for the safety of Rocio Culebro and other members of
> the National Network.
>
> BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
> Members of grassroots organizations who have been active in promoting and
> protecting human rights in Mexico, have frequently encountered opposition
> from the authorities and there has been an increase in the threats suffered
> by human rights workers in the last year (for example, see UA 203/95, AMR
> 41/19/95, 18 August 1995; UA 157/95, AMR 41/14/95, 4 July and UA 105/95,
> AMR 41/11/95, 3 May).
>
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
> + Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are  +
> + writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns        +
> + described above. If you would like to join with them in   +
> + this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action   +
> + network or Amnesty International in general, please       +
> + contact one of the following:                             +
> +                                                           +
> +      Ray Mitchell, rmitchellai@xxxxxxxxxx (UK)            +
> +      Scott Harrison, sharrison@xxxxxxxxxxx (USA)          +
> +      Guido Gabriel, ggabriel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Germany)  +
> +      Marilyn McKim, aito@xxxxxxxxxxx (Canada)             +
> +      Xavier Zeebroeck, xzeebroek@xxxxxxx (Belgium)        +
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
>