San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México

August 25, 2004

URGENT ACTION: CHIAPAS STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

International Service for Peace, SIPAZ, is deeply concerned about the recent temporary dismissal of the President of the State Human Rights Commission (CEDH), Pedro Raul Lopez Hernandez.

The CEDH is an autonomous public institution with the mandate of recording and denouncing human rights violations committed by state authorities. It was created out of the necessity of eliminating impunity and arbitrariness among state authorities, a fundamental step in the construction of democracy.

The dismissal of Pedro Raul Lopez Hernandez was passed August 17th, 2004 by the Chiapas State Congress (legislative branch) on the grounds that he had hindered the work of the Superior Investigative Office (which carries out audits in cases of possible embezzlement of funds).

The President of the CEDH refused to allow the work of said Office, arguing that they had failed to follow established legal procedures for carrying out audits of public institutions. The lack of a clean and transparent process is troublesome, but even more troublesome is the possibility that such an auditing process could potentially be used to obstruct the autonomous human rights violation reporting of the CEDH.

It is our hope that whatever judicial and administrative procedures being carried out regarding Pedro Raul Lopez Hernandez are in accordance with all the due and necessary guarantees that hold in a State of Law.

We should not forget that public institutions that defend human rights are a fundamental pillar in advancing the construction of a society in which citizens’ individual and collective rights are respected; this is fundamental in maintaining the integrity of constitutional order.

The acts of harassment that the family of Pedro Raul Lopez Hernandez have suffered in recent days, as well as that suffered by Visitor General Diego Lopez (who was unofficially asked to resign from his post) are worrisome.

We request that the State Government of Chiapas, the State Congress of Chiapas, the State Attorney General and the National Human Rights Commission:

We urge international civil society to send letters to state authorities and communicate their concern regarding the previously stated facts and the established requests.

EXAMPLE LETTER Mr. Governor: We have learned of the recent temporary dismissal of the President of the State Human Rights Commission of Chiapas. We are concerned about the motivations behind said dismissal and the procedure with which it has been carried out. It is our hope that whatever judicial and administrative procedures being carried out regarding the President of the CEDH are in accordance with all the due and necessary guarantees that hold in a State of Law. We should not forget that public institutions that defend human rights are a fundamental pillar in advancing the construction of a society in which citizens’ individual and collective rights are respected; this is fundamental in maintaining the integrity of constitutional order. We demand that you: Carry out an audit of the CEDH in accordance with established legal procedures. Guarantee the CEDH’s autonomy and ability to work, as well as the continuity of process for open cases of human rights violations. Guarantee the right to legal representation and the immunity of the President of the CEDH throughout the process of determination of disobedience regarding the Investigative Office. Sincerely, Name Date Address Ejemplo de Carta Sr. Gobernador, Hemos tenido conocimiento de la reciente destitución temporal del Presidente de la Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos de Chiapas. Sentimos preocupación por los motivos y el procedimiento a través del que se ha llevado a cabo dicha destitución. Confiamos que cualquier procedimiento administrativo y judicial al que se vea sometido el Presidente de la CEDH cumpla con todas las garantías debidas y necesarias establecidas por el Estado de Derecho. No debemos olvidar que los organismos públicos de defensa de los Derechos Humanos son pilar fundamental en el avance de la construcción de una sociedad en la que se respeten las garantías individuales y colectivas de l@s ciudadan@s, fundamento para mantener la integridad del orden constitucional. Le exigimos: Realizar un proceso de auditoría de la CEDH cumpliendo con el procedimiento legal establecido. Garantizar la autonomía, el funcionamiento de la CEDH y la continuidad de los expedientes abiertos sobre violaciones de Derechos Humanos. Garantizar la integridad física y la seguridad de Pedro Raúl López Hernández y su familia, así como del esto de miembros de la CEDH hostigados desde la destitución temporal del Presidente. Garantizar el derecho de defensa y la inmunidad del Presidente de la CEDH mientras dure el proceso para determinar si existió desobediencia frente al Órgano de Fiscalización. Atentamente, Nombre fecha Lugar

 

Pablo Salazar Mendiguchía
Gobernador del Estado de Chiapas
Palacio de Gobierno, 1er. Piso
29009 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México.
Fax. (52.961) 612 0917

 

Dr. José Luis Soberanes Fernández.
Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos
Periférico Sur 3469
Del. Magdalena Contreras. C.P. 10200
México. D.F.
Tel: (52. 55) 56 81 81 25; 56 68 49 98
Fax: (52. 55) 56 68 52 29; 56 83 35 65
Procuraduría General del Estado

 

Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado de Chiapas
Dirección de Visitaduria
Unidad de Bienes Asegurados
Libramiento Norte Oriente s/n 2° Piso, Col. Infonavit el Rosario
Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Teléfono(s):(961) 6-16-51-58 ext. 341
Email: pgjmanager@chiapas.gob.mx

 

Congreso del Estado de Chiapas:

 

PAN:
Dip. Juan Carlos Moreno Guillén
Teléfono: (++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 125
Correo electrónico: jmoreno@congresochiapas.gob.mx

 

PAS:
Dip. Guilmar Sarmiento Gutiérrez
Teléfono:(++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 176
Correo electrónico: gsarmiento@congresochiapas.gob.mx

 

PRD:
Dip. Marcelino Núñez Pérez
Teléfono: (++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 120
Correo electrónico: mnunez@congresochiapas.gob.mx

 

PRI:
Dip. Pedro Sancristóbal López
Teléfono: (++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 173
Correo electrónico: psancristobal@congresochiapas.gob.mx

 

PT:
Dip. Abundio Peregrino García
Teléfono: (++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 133
Correo electrónico: aperegrino@congresochiapas.gob.mx

 

PVEM:
Dip. Luis Gabriel Sánchez Velázquez
Teléfono: (++ 52) 961 61-31050 Ext. 115
Correo electrónico: lsanchez@congresochiapas.gob.mx