Chihuahua, Chihuahua - The UN Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions, Christof Heyns, was visiting in this city, one most affected by the violence in the country, particularly against women. In the morning, he met with Governor César Duarte and, in the afternoon, with families of victims and with human rights defenders.
In his meeting with the latter group, which lasted more than three hours, the UN envoy heard heartbreaking stories of all kinds: femicides, killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, censorship, delay of justice, impunity and as if that weren't enough, the lack of transparency of state authorities.
Moved at moments, Heyns heard stories like that of a mother searching for her missing son:
"I do not want for them to look for my son like a person who has strayed. For me, a child is lost, a person of sound mind affected, not a young man. My son is disappeared, and I want them to look for him, they took him."
Meeting at facilities put at their disposal by the Human Rights Center and El Barzón, the hosts also presented the drama of femicide, the [fact that] forced disappearance is not recognized by state authorities, of extrajudicial killings, of the difficulties they face in identifying remains of victims found, of the counter-reform of the adversarial system that opened the door to torture, of the harassment of human rights defenders.
On this last point, the cases of Ernesto Rábago, Marisela Escobedo, the massacre in Ceel and the Solorio Solís wedding were highlighted because the [victims] were all killed violently.
On this last point, the cases of Ernesto Rábago, Marisela Escobedo, the massacre in Ceel and the Solorio Solís wedding were highlighted because the [victims] were all killed violently.
Another issue brought to the table was opacity in access to information and the lack of regulation of official publicity, which, in the opinion of the activists, has curtailed press freedom.
The lack of transparency, they argued, masks the plight of disappeared persons in Chihuahua. For example, according to Petition Number UIFGE-I-111-2013 015982013, up to March 30 there have been 992 current reports of disappeared persons--among them, 223 women--but at least 30% of the disappeared people are not included in the list delivered by the Attorney General through the Infomex System.
The lack of transparency, they argued, masks the plight of disappeared persons in Chihuahua. For example, according to Petition Number UIFGE-I-111-2013 015982013, up to March 30 there have been 992 current reports of disappeared persons--among them, 223 women--but at least 30% of the disappeared people are not included in the list delivered by the Attorney General through the Infomex System.
The representatives of the Women's Human Rights Center, El Barzón, First Wind Committee, COSYDDHAC [Jesuits Tarahumara Human Rights Javier Avila Creel], Justice for Our Daughters, Women for Mexico, Red Citizen, Free Journalism Network and Bowerasa [Civic organization that provides support to the Rarámuri communities] delivered a list of human rights violations in the state.
After listening to these testimonies, Heyns encouraged them to continue their work, and he told them that they are the hope for a better world. ... Spanish original