|
IDHAE INFORMATION
|
|
Human rights lawyer Pablo Gabriel Salinas has received an anonymous threat apparently related to his work. His life and the lives of his family may be
in danger. On 9 April, Pablo Salinas arrived at his
office in the city of Mendoza, Mendoza Province, and found
an anonymous letter personally addressed to him. The letter stated, “You are a son of a thousand
bitches for defending criminals in jail, piece of shit, watch yourself bitch and your bitch family
[sic], defender of murderers, rapists,
thieves ; start defending the victims of these degenerates, failure piece of shit” (“sos un hijo de mil puta en defender a criminales
de la cárcel, sorete, cuídate puto vos y tu puta familia, defensor de homicidas, violadores, ladrones y rateros, empezá a defender a la
gente víctima de esos degenerados, fracasado de mierda”). The following
day, Pablo Salinas reported
the anonymous threat to Mendoza’s public prosecutor’s
office (Unidad Fiscal de Delitos
Complejos de la Primera Circunscripción
Judicial de Mendoza) and on the same
day a petition was made on his behalf to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, asking the authorities to put
in place measures to protect
Pablo Salinas and his family.
Pablo Salinas has repeatedly publicly condemned the use of torture and ill-treatment in prisons in Mendoza province. He has also worked on behalf of victims of police brutality, extrajudicial executions and other human rights violations committed by members of the security forces. Pablo Salinas has provided
legal representation to victims of human rights violations committed during the period of military rule in Argentina
(1976 – 1983). Due to his work
in these areas he has repeatedly been the victim of threats and harassment. In December 2005, he received threatening telephone calls, and the office he
shared with human rights lawyers María Angélica Escayola
and Alfredo Guevara Escayola, was
daubed with graffiti.
Amnesty International is not aware
of any further threats against the other two lawyers. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Human rights defenders working in Mendoza are often
the target of harassment
and threats. Amnesty International has expressed concern for their safety and has consistently asked for thorough and independent
investigations into the judicial
and public complaints submitted in relation to these threats. RECOMMENDED ACTION : Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish
or your own language : -
expressing concern for the safety of Pablo Salinas and his
family ;
APPEALS TO : Governor of Mendoza Province Gobernador de la Provincia Ing. Dn. Julio César Cleto Cobos Casa de Gobierno Av. L. Peltier 351- 4to piso 5500 Mendoza, ARGENTINA Fax : +54 261 449 2142 Salutation : Sr. Gobernador / Dear Governor Minister of Foreign Affairs Sr. Ministro
de Relaciones Exteriores,
Comercio Internacional y Culto Sr Jorge Enrique Taiana Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional
y Culto Esmeralda 1212 1007 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA Fax : +54 11 4819 7324 Salutation : Sr. Ministro / Dear Minister Minister of Security of Mendoza Province Sr. Ministro
de Seguridad de la Provincia
de Mendoza Dr. Miguel Bondino
Salta 672 5501 Godoy Cruz, Mendoza ARGENTINA Fax : +54 261 449 9083 / 9020 (if
voice answers, ask "tono de fax por el Ministro, por favor") Salutation : Sr. Ministro / Dear Minister Undersecretary for Justice Mendoza Province Sr. Subsecretario
de Justicia de la Provincia
de Mendoza Sr. Gustavo Castiñeira
de Dios Ministerio de Gobierno Salta 672 5504 Godoy Cruz Mendoza, ARGENTINA Salutation : Sr. Subsecretario / Dear Undersecretary COPIES TO : Legal Office in Mendoza Rivadavia 680 5500, Mendoza, Provincia de Mendoza, ARGENTINA Provincial Newspaper
Diario Los Andes Avda.
San Martin 1049 5500 Mendoza ARGENTINA Fax : +54 261 420 2011 PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
|
|||
|
|
