On 5 June, Rommel Cain Chacan Pale who works with an independent police watchdog organization based in Tlapa de Comonfort, in the Montaña region of Guerrero state, received a telephone death threat. The organization, Monitor Civil de Policia y Fuerzas de Seguridad de la Montaña de Guerrero (Civic Police Monitor of the Montaña region of Guerrero), has been co-founded by Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre and other Mexican organizations.

Rommel Cain Chacan Pale was in a meeting with two representatives of Guerrero state judicial police, when he received a call from a public telephone at the office. Matilde Pérez Romero, another lawyer, was also there. Someone who sounded like a young man told him, "You are going to get fucked, we are watching you, you son of a bitch. We are watching you and your family and they are also going to get fucked." (ya te cargo la chingada, te andamos vigilando, hijo de tu puta madre. Te estamos vigilando a ti y a tu familia y también se la va a cargar la chingada).

Both Rommel Cain Chacan Pale and Matilde Pérez Romero have worked on numerous complaints against police and military operating in the region, including complaints of extortion, arbitrary detention and use of excessive force.

BACKGROUND

On 30 April, the Inter American Court for Human Rights ordered the Mexican authorities to provide appropriate protection measures to 107 members of human rights organizations in the region. This included the Tlapaneco Indigenous People’s Organization (Organización del Pueblo Indígena Tlapaneco), the Organization for the Future of Mixtec Indigenous Peoples (Organización para el Futuro del Pueblo Mixteco) and Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre, all based around the Montaña region of Guerrero State. Some measures have been taken, however these have so far been very few and largely insufficient to guarantee effective protection so that activists can continue carry out their legitimate activities.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please create an appeal in your own words [click here for a brief guide to help you write your letter]:

calling on the authorities to ensure that Rommel Cain Chacan Pale and Matilde Pérez Romero receive adequate protection measures, in accordance with their wishes;

calling on them to order a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the death threat received by Rommel Cain Chacan Pale on 5 June and bring those responsible to justice;

reminding the authorities that the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders recognizes the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and their right to carry out their activities without obstacles or fear of reprisals.

Please send your APPEAL TO:

Minister of Interior:

Lic. Juan Camilo Mouriño Terrazo

Secretaría de Gobernación

Bucareli 99, 1er. Piso

Col. Juárez, Del. Cuauhtémoc

México D.F., C.P.06600, MEXICO

Fax:                 011 52 55 5093 3414

E-mail:          secretario@segob.gob.mx

Salutation:    Señor Secretario / Dear Minister

Please send a COPY TO:

His Excellency Francisco J. Barrio Terrazas

Ambassador for Mexico

45 O'Connor Street, Suites 1000 & 1030

Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A4

Fax:                 (613) 235-9123

E-mail:           info@embamexcan.com

PLEASE ACT NOW.

THANK YOU.