17 December 2008 - Action alert by Amnesty International USA

MEXICO - Jorge Martinez Guzman, a detainee in the Pacho Viejo prison (Centro de Readaptacion Social de Pacho Viejo), Veracruz State, was tortured by a group of unidentified men during the night of 25 November.

Jorge Martinez Guzman was blindfolded, tied up and handcuffed by what he estimates to be a group of ten men. He was hit repeatedly by several people, dragged along the floor using the handcuffs around his wrists and subjected to simulated asphyxiation by means of a plastic bag and a wet towel placed over his head. Despite the fact that this was a prolonged attack, at no point did prison officials intervene to stop it and prevent further harm to Jorge Martinez.

On 27 November, Jorge Martinez Guzman's mother, Raquel Guzman Garay arrived at Pacho Viejo prison to visit her son. Upon her arrival she was told that she could not see her son but was not provided with an explanation why. After repeatedly being denied information on why she was not allowed to see her son by prison authorities, one of the guards on duty told her that Jorge Martinez had been hospitalized but refused to provide her with further information. Raquel Guzman Garay eventually found him in the "Doctor Luis F. Nachon" hospital in Xalapa, Veracruz State later that day.

Jorge Martinez Guzman is currently in intensive care. His body is covered in injuries from the beatings and his hands and arms are particularly badly injured. The medical report on Jorge Martinez Guzman reveals that he is suffering from kidney failure as a result of the beatings. On 28 November, Jorge Martinez Guzman had surgery on both of his hands.

Raquel Guzman Garay filed a complaint with the Veracruz State Attorney General's Office on 4 December. However as of yet, no police or prosecutors has visited Jorge Martinez Guzman to begin the investigation.

This is not the first time Jorge Martinez Guzman has been attacked in Pacho Viejo prison. On a previous visit to the prison in October, Raquel Guzman Garay noted that her son had severe injuries on his arms and legs. Jorge Martinez told his mother that he has been beaten by other inmates but made her promise not to file a complaint as he feared reprisals if she did.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- expressing concern for the safety of Jorge Martinez Guzman;
- calling on the authorities to ensure that Jorge Martinez Guzman is protected from torture or other ill-treatment or any other reprisals;
- urging the authorities to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the attack on Jorge Martinez Guzman and for those responsible to be brought to justice, including any prison officials involved;
- calling on the authorities to put in place adequate protection measures for all detainees in Pacho Viejo prison to ensure their physical safety and that further attacks do not occur.

APPEALS TO:

Minister of Interior
Lic. Fernando Gomez Mont
Secretaria de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. Piso
Col. Juarez, Delegacion Cuauhtemoc
Mexico D.F., C.P.06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5093 3414
Salutation: Senor Secretario/Dear Minister

Governor of Veracruz
Lic. Fidel Herrera Beltran
Av. Enriquez sin Numero
Colonia Centro
Xalapa
Veracruz, C.P. 91000
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 228 841 8818
Email: fide...@veracruz.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Governor/Senor Gobernador

Attorney General of Veracruz State
Lic. Salvador Mikel Rivera
Boulevard Culturas Veracruzanas s/n
Col. Reserva Territorial
Veracruz, C.P. 91000
MEXICO
Tel: 011 52 228 841 6170
Fax: 011 52 228 841 61 84. (Someone will pick up, you then need to say "me da tono de fax, por favor"
Salutation: Dear Attorney/Senor Procurador

COPIES TO:

Liga Mexicana por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos A.C.
1era Cda Calle Tehuiztita, 44
Col. Los Reyes
Del. Coyoacan
CP 04330 Mexico Distrito Federal
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 5846 1045
Email: enla...@gmail.com

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexe...@sre.gob.mx

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Preferably before Jan. 29, 2009.

Amnesty international USA (UA 344/08) - Torture / Fear for safety

For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa34408.pdf