Son of leading activist threatened in Mexico

Edgar Coache Verano,‭ ‬the son of‭ ‬Mexican trade unionist and political activist‭ ‬Marcelino Coache,‭ ‬has‭ ‬received‭ ‬a‭ ‬threatening‭ ‬SMS message.‭ ‬Marcelino Coache and his family are in danger.‭

On‭ ‬31‭ ‬January,‭ ‬Marcelino Coache’s son‭ ‬Edgar Coache Verano‭ ‬received an SMS‭ ‬message,‭ ‬saying‭ “‬he’s going to die‭ ‬for being a faggot‭” (“‬se va morir por puto‭”)‬.‭ ‬It is‭ ‬believed that the threat refers to Marcelino Coache.‭

This latest threat follows a series of acts of intimidation and harassment to‭ ‬Oaxacan political activist Marcelino Coache and his family.‭ ‬On‭ ‬4‭ ‬March‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬Marcelino Coache,‭ ‬a leading member of the‭ ‬Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca‭ (‬Asamblea Popular‭ ‬del Pueblo de Oaxaca,‭ ‬APPO‭)‬,‭ ‬was abducted by three men,‭ ‬in‭ ‬Oaxaca‭ ‬City.‭ ‬The men punched and hit him repeatedly with the butt of a gun and burned him with cigarettes around his nipples and genitals for several hours.‭ ‬He was released the following morning.‭ ‬Also in‭ ‬March‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬Edgar Coache Verano‭ ‬was followed by several unidentified men in a van‭ ‬while he was walking home from school.‭ ‬From the van one of the men shouted at Edgar Coache‭ “‬we warned your father,‭ ‬we know where you are.‭ ‬We’re talking to you son of a bitch‭“(“‬se lo advertimos a tu padre,‭ ‬ya sabemos donde estas.‭ ‬A ti te estamos hablando,‭ ‬perro maldito‭”)‬.‭ ‬In April and August‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬Marcelino Coache’s‭ ‬wife‭ ‬Reyna Rivera‭ ‬received several threatening messages on her mobile as did other Oaxacan human rights defenders who have been supporting Marcelino Coache.‭ ‬Marcelino Coache and his supporter have been campaigning for those responsible for human rights violations during‭ ‬Oaxaca’s‭ ‬2006‭ ‬political crisis to be brought to justice.‭

On‭ ‬8‭ ‬May‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights‭ ‬asked the Mexican government to provide‭ ‬protection for Marcelino Coache.‭ ‬To date,‭ ‬however,‭ ‬the Mexican government‭ ‬has failed to‭ ‬provide‭ ‬him‭ ‬with‭ ‬effective‭ ‬protection and those responsible for the threats and acts of intimidation remain at large.‭ ‬The new state government of‭ ‬Oaxaca recently committed to work with human rights defenders to end intimidation and improve security.

PLEASE‭ ‬WRITE IMMEDIATELY‭ ‬in‭ ‬Spanish‭ ‬or your own language:
urging the authorities to ensure that‭ ‬Marcelino Coache‭ ‬and his family are given appropriate protection in accordance with their wishes‭
‎ ‏calling on the authorities to order a prompt and impartial investigation into the‭ ‬attacks and‭ ‬threats‭ ‬suffered Marcelino Coache and his family,‭ ‬and to bring those responsible to justice.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE‭ ‬16‭ ‬MARCH‭ ‬2011‭ ‬TO:

Minister of Interior
Lic.‭ ‬José Francisco Blake Mora
Secretario,‭ ‬Sec.‭ ‬de Gobernación
Bucareli‭ ‬99,‭ ‬1er.‭ ‬piso,‭ ‬Col.‭ ‬Juárez,
Delegación Cuauhtémoc,
México D.F.,‭ ‬C.P.‭ ‬06600,‭ ‬MÉXICO‭
Fax:‭ (‬+52‭) ‬55‭ ‬5093‭ ‬3414
Email:‭ ‬secretario@segob.gob.mx‭
Salutation:‭ ‬Dear Minister/Estimado‭
Señor Secretario‭

Governor of‭ ‬Oaxaca
Lic.‭ ‬Gabino Cué Monteagudo
Gobernador,‭ ‬Ciudad Administrativa Benemérito de las Américas,‭ ‬Edificio‭ ‬7,‭ ‬Nivel‭ ‬3,‭ ‬Carretera Oaxaca-Istmo Km.‭ ‬11.5,‭ ‬Tlalixtac de Cabrera,‭ ‬C.P.‭ ‬68270,‭ ‬Oaxaca,‭ ‬MÉXICO‭
Fax:‭ (‬+52‭) ‬951‭ ‬502‭ ‬0530‭ ‬to‭ ‬0538
Email:‭ ‬j.castillo.oax@gmail.com
Salutation:‭ ‬Dear Governor/Estimado Señor Gobernador

Oaxaca‭ ‬State Attorney General
Lic.‭ ‬Manuel de Jesús López López‭
Procurador General de Justicia,‭ ‬Centro Administrativo Gral.‭ ‬Porfirio Díaz,‭ ‬Edificio Jesús‭ “‬Chu‭” ‬Rasgado A,‭ ‬ala‭ ‬2,‭ ‬2do nivel,‭ ‬Reyes Mantecón,‭ ‬San Bartolo Coyotepec,‭ ‬C.P.‭ ‬71257,‭ ‬Oax.,‭ ‬México
Fax:‭ (‬+52‭) ‬951‭ ‬501‭ ‬6900‭ ‬ext.‭ ‬20635
Email:‭ ‬procuradoroaxaca@hotmail.com
Salutation:‭ ‬Dear Attorney General/Estimado Señor Procurador
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country and to Alba Cruz‭ (‬codigo.dh@gmail.com‭)‬.‭ ‬Please check with your section‭ ‬office if sending appeals after the above date.‭ ‬This‭ ‬is the‭ ‬fourth update of UA‭ ‬68/09.‭ ‬Further information:‭ ‬http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR41/014/2009/en,‭ ‬http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR41/016/2009/en,‭ ‬http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR41/025/2009/en,‭ ‬http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR41/044/2009/en‭
URGENT ACTION

SON OF LEADING ACTIVIST THREATENED IN‭ ‬MEXICO

ADditional Information

In June‭ ‬2006,‭ ‬widespread protests erupted in the state of Oaxaca,‭ ‬led by the‭ ‬Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca‭ (‬Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca,‭ ‬APPO‭)‬,‭ ‬in an unsuccessful campaign to force the state governor to resign.‭ ‬At least‭ ‬18‭ ‬civilians were reportedly killed during the conflict‭; ‬at least‭ ‬370‭ ‬were injured and‭ ‬349‭ ‬were arrested.‭ ‬There were widespread reports of excessive‭ ‬use of‭ ‬force,‭ ‬arbitrary detention,‭ ‬torture and fabrication of criminal charges against protesters.‭ ‬In July‭ ‬2007‭ ‬there were further violent clashes between police and protestors that resulted in more than‭ ‬40‭ ‬people detained and scores injured.‭ ‬Federal,‭ ‬state and municipal authorities responsible for abuses have not been held to account.‭ ‬While the political violence has declined,‭ ‬tensions remain high.‭ ‬Human rights organizations continue to campaign for justice in relation to human rights violations.‭

‏Date:‭ ‬02‭ ‬February‭ ‬2011

FU on‭ ‬UA:‭ ‬68/09‭ ‬Index:‭ ‬AMR‭ ‬41/004/2011Mexico Date:‭ ‬02‭ ‬February‭ ‬2011