World News Report: The United Nations Committee Against Torture has found that Mexican soldiers tortured four men they detained as crime suspects in a northern state in 2009.
A Mexican human rights group, which announced the ruling Friday, said it was the first time the U.N. committee issued a decision on an individual case in Mexico. Read more.
The MexicoBlog of the CIP Americas Program monitors and analyzes international press on Mexico with a focus on the US-backed War on Drugs in Mexico and the struggle in Mexico to strengthen the rule of law, justice and protection of human rights. Relevant political developments in both countries are also covered.
Showing posts with label Mexico torture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexico torture. Show all posts
Nov 8, 2013
Mexico: Key Supreme Court Ruling on Torture Case
Human Rights Watch
November 7, 2013
(Washington, D.C.) – A Mexican Supreme Court ruling on November 6, 2013, affirms the Mexican constitutional principle that evidence obtained through torture or other violations of fundamental human rights is inadmissible, Human Rights Watch said today.
The court ordered the immediate release of Israel Arzate Meléndez. He was arbitrarily detained by the military in 2010, tortured to confess to taking part in a multiple homicide, and held for more than three years in preventive detention while he awaited trial. The Supreme Court has yet to publish the grounds for reaching this decision, and so its scope remains uncertain.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling is a long-overdue acknowledgment by the government that Israel Arzate’s confession was obtained in violation of his rights and should never have been allowed as evidence,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Beyond freeing Israel, the court should use the ruling to affirm a clear and unequivocal prohibition on the use of torture-tainted evidence in Mexico’s justice system.” Read more.
November 7, 2013
(Washington, D.C.) – A Mexican Supreme Court ruling on November 6, 2013, affirms the Mexican constitutional principle that evidence obtained through torture or other violations of fundamental human rights is inadmissible, Human Rights Watch said today.
The court ordered the immediate release of Israel Arzate Meléndez. He was arbitrarily detained by the military in 2010, tortured to confess to taking part in a multiple homicide, and held for more than three years in preventive detention while he awaited trial. The Supreme Court has yet to publish the grounds for reaching this decision, and so its scope remains uncertain.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling is a long-overdue acknowledgment by the government that Israel Arzate’s confession was obtained in violation of his rights and should never have been allowed as evidence,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Beyond freeing Israel, the court should use the ruling to affirm a clear and unequivocal prohibition on the use of torture-tainted evidence in Mexico’s justice system.” Read more.
Jun 25, 2013
Torture in Mexico: ‘I still think it was a nightmare’
Amnesty International
June 21, 2013
The Mexican National Human Rights Commission recently reported that during 2012 alone, it had received 1,921 complaints of human rights violations committed by the armed forces and 802 against federal police.
“Security forces across Mexico continue to target people perceived as the enemy, particularly those believed to have links to drug trafficking – without necessarily possessing any real evidence. This has resulted in arbitrary detentions, torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killings,” said Rupert Knox, Mexico researcher at Amnesty International. Read more.
June 21, 2013
The Mexican National Human Rights Commission recently reported that during 2012 alone, it had received 1,921 complaints of human rights violations committed by the armed forces and 802 against federal police.
“Security forces across Mexico continue to target people perceived as the enemy, particularly those believed to have links to drug trafficking – without necessarily possessing any real evidence. This has resulted in arbitrary detentions, torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killings,” said Rupert Knox, Mexico researcher at Amnesty International. Read more.
Oct 11, 2012
Torture cases rise sharply in Mexico, Amnesty International says
LA Times: The human rights group says the Mexican government has 'effectively turned a blind eye' to brutality amid its crackdown on drug cartels.
By Richard Fausset. Oct. 10. MEXICO CITY — A leading human rights group contends that the Mexican government under outgoing President Felipe Calderon has "effectively turned a blind eye" to a dramatic increase in reported instances of torture and abuse by police and the military in recent years, as those forces have been pressured to come down hard on the powerful drug cartels threatening large chunks of the country.
In a report issued Thursday, Amnesty International noted that Mexico's National Human Rights Commission received 1,669 reports of torture and abuse by police and the military in 2011. That number has grown each year since 2008, when the commission received 564 complaints. Many observers believe that those numbers represent a fraction of the actual abuse cases because many victims are afraid to report them. Read more.
By Richard Fausset. Oct. 10. MEXICO CITY — A leading human rights group contends that the Mexican government under outgoing President Felipe Calderon has "effectively turned a blind eye" to a dramatic increase in reported instances of torture and abuse by police and the military in recent years, as those forces have been pressured to come down hard on the powerful drug cartels threatening large chunks of the country.
In a report issued Thursday, Amnesty International noted that Mexico's National Human Rights Commission received 1,669 reports of torture and abuse by police and the military in 2011. That number has grown each year since 2008, when the commission received 564 complaints. Many observers believe that those numbers represent a fraction of the actual abuse cases because many victims are afraid to report them. Read more.
Jan 26, 2012
Human Rights Violations: Nuevo Leon government demands that police who claim they were tortured present their accusations
CNN Mexico: "The government of the northern state of Nuevo Leon demanded that the Monterrey municipal police who, on Tuesday night made accusations of torture by the State Investigation Agency (IEA), present their evidence to prove or clarify responsibility, the government spokesman for state security, Jorge Domene Zambrano, said at a press conference.
On Tuesday night, three presumed municipal police, wearing hoods, appeared at police headquarters in Monterrey, the state capital, where they held a press conference to make accusations that they were tortured by elements of the State Investigation Agency (IEA).
The complainants say they were tortured during an operation by the State and the Army on January 21 as part of the police security purification process at municipal police headquarters. The state spokesman said that a total of 109 policemen had been retained that day, of which 60 were released the same day.
Five policemen continue to be held in the facilities of the AEI "because they appear to have links to some previous investigatons," while another 44 were taken that day to the University for Security Sciences, where they are being evaluated, explained Domene Zambrano.
"We reiterate the official position of the state government is to attend to this and, if necessary, punish those responsible, if this is true, or (determine) if it is a falsehood, which the statements of these individuals can turn out to be," he added. ... The spokesman stated that identity of the persons who publicly made accusations of alleged human rights violations is unknown and demanded that the municipal police department provide their identity.
On Tuesday night, three presumed municipal police, wearing hoods, appeared at police headquarters in Monterrey, the state capital, where they held a press conference to make accusations that they were tortured by elements of the State Investigation Agency (IEA).
The complainants say they were tortured during an operation by the State and the Army on January 21 as part of the police security purification process at municipal police headquarters. The state spokesman said that a total of 109 policemen had been retained that day, of which 60 were released the same day.
Five policemen continue to be held in the facilities of the AEI "because they appear to have links to some previous investigatons," while another 44 were taken that day to the University for Security Sciences, where they are being evaluated, explained Domene Zambrano.
"We reiterate the official position of the state government is to attend to this and, if necessary, punish those responsible, if this is true, or (determine) if it is a falsehood, which the statements of these individuals can turn out to be," he added. ... The spokesman stated that identity of the persons who publicly made accusations of alleged human rights violations is unknown and demanded that the municipal police department provide their identity.
... The State Ombudsman, Minerva Martinez announced that the Human Rights Commission (CEDHNL) has opened an inquiry to investigate these events, and invited the police to file a complaint with the agency. "I guarantee the safety of these people and their privacy," she said. The attorney general of Nuevo Leon, Adrian de la Garza Santos, reiterated that "total protection" will be provided to the alleged victims and he invited them to approach the authorities to file their complaint." Spanish original
Dec 9, 2011
Mexico Torture: Father fought to get son out of Mexican jail
El Paso Times: "Kevin Huckabee never gave up the fight to rescue his son from a Juárez prison after he and a friend were accused of drug trafficking. In an interview on Wednesday, Huckabee described how he worked his way through a maze of corruption, international red tape and United States officials who said nothing could be done to get his son Shohn Huckabee out of Mexico and back into the U.S.
Shohn Huckabee, 24, and his friend, Carlos Quijas, were arrested in December 2009 by the Mexican army near the U.S. border and accused of having 110 pounds of marijuana in Huckabee's truck." read more
Shohn Huckabee, 24, and his friend, Carlos Quijas, were arrested in December 2009 by the Mexican army near the U.S. border and accused of having 110 pounds of marijuana in Huckabee's truck." read more
Mexico Torture: Texan shares terrifying story of time behind bars in Mexico
khou.com Houston: "Shawn Huckabee savors every moment, now that he’s back home. And for good reason—he spent the past two years behind bars in Mexico, ... in Juarez, where he was locked up on drug charges in 2009 after crossing the border to get his truck repaired.
He said soldiers tortured him during questioning. "They hit me with the butt of the rifle, electric shocks," Huckabee said, insisting that the drugs were planted in his truck. "I don’t see any justice. I see corruption. I see lots of corruption."" read more
He said soldiers tortured him during questioning. "They hit me with the butt of the rifle, electric shocks," Huckabee said, insisting that the drugs were planted in his truck. "I don’t see any justice. I see corruption. I see lots of corruption."" read more
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