Human Rights: InterAmerican Commission condemns murder of activist Agnes Torres

Proceso: "The InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has condemned the murder of transgender activist, Agnes Torres Sulca, whose body bore signs of torture when it was discovered on Saturday, March 10 in a ravine in Puebla.

The regional body called on the Mexican government to "officially investigate such acts and punish those responsible." It recalled that Torres "contributed to various groups and, among other political actions, participated in the promotion of bills before the Congress of Puebla."

In a statement, the Commission recommended that the Mexican government "open lines of investigation that take into account whether the murder of Ms. Torres was committed because of her gender identity and/or because of her advocacy of human rights" for lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual (LGTBI) people.

The killing of Agnes Torres, said the component of Organization of American States, forces the Mexican government to "adopt, in an immediate and urgent way, all due measures for adequate protection of human rights of LGTBI people and those who defend their rights."

The Commission also reminded the government of Felipe Calderon that "defenders of organizations that promote the rights of LGTBI people play a key role in the region, both in the social regulation of the fulfillment of state obligations in general, and in the process of promoting the human rights of LGTBI people."

The Commission referred to its second report on the situation of human rights and human rights defenders in the Americas, in which it "pointed out the large amount of information received regarding killings, threats and criminalization of the activities of defenders of LGTBI people, as well as the absence of a differentiated approach to the investigation of violations of their human rights. "

According to the IACHR, the murders of LGTBI defenders are often reduced to "crimes of passion", without opening "logical lines of investigation that take into account whether the offense was committed because of gender identity or orientation of the victim."

It noted that the attacks against defenders as "retaliation for their activities" cause "a chilling effect" among those engaged in the same activities, while the State avoids the work that is "essential to building a solid, durable democratic society. The state has a leading role in the process of fully achieveing the rule of law and the strengthening of democracy. "" Spanish original