On 17 April 2008, Manuel Cruz, Orlando Manzanarez, Natalio Ortega, Romualdo Santiago and Raúl Hernández were detained and accused of the murder of Alejandro Feliciano García on 1st January 2008, in the village El Camalote, Guerrero state. The Army arrested the five OPIM members when they were crossing a military security control post normally established in the area. There are arrest orders against other 10 OPIM members, also related to the murder, none of which has been fulfilled.

A federal judge denied the appeal petition (amparo) introduced by Raúl Hernández, arguing that two witnesses had declared they were present at the time of the crime. However, the statements of witnesses that establish that Raúl Hernández was not present at the time of the crime have not been taken into account.

Amnesty International has registered a pattern of harassment and intimidation against members of Indigenous human rights organizations in the state of Guerrero, such as OPIM, for several years.

Help us to free Raúl Hernández, detained with fabricated charges.
sFernando Gómez Mont  
Ministry of Interior 

Dear Minister,

I would like to acknowledge the positive decision of the Mexican government to drop the criminal charges against OPIM human rights defenders Manuel Cruz, Orlando Manzanarez, Natalio Ortega and Romualdo Santiago.

However, I would like to express my concern about the continued detention of Raúl Hernández, even though there has not been any further evidence against him.

Amnesty International underlined in February that a federal judged denied the appeal petition (amparo) introduced by Raúl Hernández because two witnesses declared to have been present in the place and time when the victim was shot. However, the statements of two witnesses who have declared that Raúl Hernández was not present at the time of the crime have not been taken into account. Raúl Hernández has appealed the decision that denied his amparo.

Keeping the last OPIM human rights defender in prison with fabricated charges, the Mexican authorities are not fulfilling their commitments to the UN Human Rights Council made on February.

Through this letter, I urge the Mexican State to continue its positive efforts to respect national and international law, immediately freeing Raúl Hernández, prisioner of conscience, unjustly detained for almost a year.

Sincerely,

 
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