AMR 41/033/2011

MEXICO

José Fortino Martínez Martínez was detained on 5 June 2011 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas state, Mexico, by members of the Mexican Navy. Neither his family or a local human rights organization know where he is and are concerned that he is a victim of enforced disappearance.

According to several eyewitnesses, on 5 June 2011, José Fortino Martínez Martínez was detained by Mexican Navy forces, who carried out a night raid without a judicial warrant on his home in the Arturo Cortés Villada neighbourhood of Nuevo Laredo, on the US border. He was forced into a military vehicle and driven away.

His wife, Oralia Guadalupe Villaseñor, and other relatives, have sought information on his whereabouts but the authorities have denied knowledge of his detention or where he is being held. Assisted by a local human rights organization, the Human Rights Committee of Nuevo Laredo (Comité de Derechos Humanos de Nuevo Laredo), the family filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) based in Mexico City and the Federal Attorney General's Office (Procuraduría General de la República, PGR). They also requested information from the organized crime unit (Subprocuraduría de Investigación Especializada en Delincuencia Organizada, SIEDO) of the PGR in Mexico City, which also denied knowledge of José Fortino Martínez Martínez's detention. Relatives, accompanied by members of the municipal authorities and the PGR, visited the Navy base outside Nuevo Laredo in Villa Hidalgo, Coahuila state. A Navy official refused to receive notification of the criminal complaint or provide information on the whereabouts of José Fortino Martínez Martínez.

Police and security forces, including military and navy units, routinely arrest those suspected of links with criminal organizations, without warrants, in high violence areas of the country. However, according to information received by Amnesty International, there does not seem to be a clear reason for José Fortino Martínez Martínez's detention.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:

* Expressing concern at the detention and enforced disappearance of José Fortino Martínez Martínez.. and calling on the authorities to ensure the safety of José Fortino Martínez Martínez and for him to be given access to family, legal advice and medical attention;

* Calling for a full, prompt and impartial and exhaustive investigation by civilian authorities into his detention and apparent enforced disappearance by members of the Mexican Navy on 6 June, for a report on the finding to be made public and for all those responsible to be held to account;

* Calling for witnesses and relatives to receive protection in line with their wishes and ensure that all agencies fully cooperate with civilian investigations and measures to locate José Fortino Martínez Martínez.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 22 JULY 2011 TO:

Attorney General of the Republic

Marisela Morales Ibañez

Procuradora General de Justicia de la República,

v. Paseo de la reforma 211 - 213, Col. Cuahtemoc,

Del. Cuahtemoc,

Mexico D.F.,Mexico

Fax: +52 555 346 0908 (keep trying)

Email: mmoralesi@pgr.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Attorney General

Secretary for the Navy

Almir. Mariano Saynez Mendoza

Secretaría de Marina

Eje 2 Oriente Tramo Heroica Escuela Naval Militar No. 86,

Col. Los Cipreses, Del. COYOACÁN, México D.F., C.P. 04830

Email: srio@semar.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Admiral

Minister of the Interior

Lic. José Francisco Blake Mora

Secretario, Sec. delGobernación

Bucareli 99, 1er. piso, Col. Juárez,

Delegación Cuauhtémoc,

México D.F., C.P. 06600

Fax: +52 55 30032900 (a voice will ask for the extension: dial 32356)

Salutation: Dear Minister

Also send copies to local human rights organization: "dhlaredo@gmail.com"

and diplomatic representatives accredited to your country

MEXIKOS AMBASSAD

GREVGATAN 3

114 53 STOCKHOLM

FAX 08-663 24 20

E-post: suecia.embamex@telia.com

Check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Since 2007, violence linked to organized crime has spiralled in Mexico with more than 40,000 killings. In 2010 there were more than 3000 killings in Ciudad Juárez one of the worst affected cites. President Calderón's administration has attempted to combat the drug cartels by deploying thousands of federal police and over 50,000 army and navy personnel in the worst affected areas, particularly in many of the cities on Mexico's northern border such as Nuevo Laredo. Active or retired military officials hold key positions in civilian public security functions in many parts of the country. Despite repeated reports of serious human rights violations, such unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and torture, by different police and military forces, investigations are rare and perpetrators rarely held to account. Victims are routinely left without information or recourse to justice.