Reports: Torture, killings on rise in Mexico

November 16, 1995
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT)

From Mexico City Bureau Chief Lucia Newman

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Hilario Vecino, a member of a peasant organization called Sierra del Sur, says that he's on the run from authorities in the southwestern state of Guerrero. He says that he doesn't want to end up dead or tortured, like dozens of his fellow union members.

He has reason to be afraid, according to the human rights organization Amnesty International. A recent report from the London-based group says the federal army has attacked opposition political activists and human rights workers and has committed injustices against Indians and illegal immigrants in Guerrero.

Amnesty International says that they have documented 40 cases of illegal killings in Guerrero by police and government soldiers. They say few of the perpetrators have been prosecuted.

Vecino recounts the time that a man he knew was picked up by the authorities. "Take Aristo Ortega, who's 60 years-old and mute. They tortured him badly, and since he couldn't talk and confess what they wanted, they nearly beat him to death," Vecino says.

Amnesty International reports that it found evidence of arrests without court orders, as well as people being tortured in police custody and forced to sign confessions. They say that in many cases, the confessions were the only evidence used against them in court.

The report also says that human rights violations are increasing in Mexico. "Serious human rights abuses continue to be reported on an alarming scale throughout the country," says Derek Evans, deputy secretary general of Amnesty International. "This report demonstrates that an effective state of impunity continues to exist in Mexico." (138K AIFF sound or 138K WAV sound)

In one case after another, Amnesty says, security officials responsible for torture and political assassinations escape justice, including those who massacred 17 peasants in Guerrero last June.

And Amnesty says that there is now a new pattern of attacking human rights defenders or those who cooperate with Amnesty International's investigations. "Eight people who in a way participated together with the community in providing information to Amnesty International were arbitrarily arrested by the police, seriously tortured, including an 85-year-old man," said Morris Tidball of Amnesty International.

Mexico's foreign ministry says that the government will carry out a detailed analysis of Amnesty's report, although it believes that the report's claims are "exaggerated."

Amnesty, however, is sticking to its charges, saying that in addition to the 40 cases of extrajudicial executions this year, those who oppose the government are especially targeted.

Recommendations to prevent further human rights abuses were listed in the report and were submitted more than a year ago to then-President-elect Ernesto Zedillo. The 17 recommendations included establishing strict rules for interrogation and prohibiting torture.

Zedillo has pledged to protect human rights and also to turn Mexico into a nation that has "strict adherence to the law."

Amnesty says that it is encouraged by Zedillo's public commitment to building an effective state of law in Mexico. But, the organization says, his words must translate into action.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reports: Torture, killings on rise in Mexico

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