AMR 41/034/2011

MEXICO

Migrants and a volunteer at the Casa del Migrante de Saltillo (Saltillo Migrants’ Shelter) in the Mexican state of Coahuila have been harassed by three armed aggressors. There are fears for the security for the staff and migrants of the shelter.

On 13 June, Klaus Einhorn, a migrants’ rights activist who is a volunteer at the Saltillo Migrants’ Shelter, a Honduran migrant and a Guatemalan migrant were walking back to the shelter from a local convenience store when they were approached by a pick-up van containing three armed men. The armed men pointed the guns at Klaus Einhorn and at the migrants and started to interrogate them.

When Klaus Einhorn asked who they were the aggressors replied, “Somos el diablo” (“We are the devil”). The aggressors threatened to abduct the two migrants. The aggressors also asked questions about the number of migrants and women in the shelter. They also asked Klaus Einhorn if there were any police patrols outside the Shelter to which he responded that there were none at that moment. After this, the aggressors ordered Klaus Einhorn and the two migrants to walk towards the Shelter while the aggressors where driving behind them still pointing their guns. Once they were at the shelter the aggressors called to Klaus Einhorn and the two migrants: “Saludos, nos vemos” (“greetings, we’ll see you around”) and sped off.

Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the protection measures granted by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights and National Human Rights Commission on behalf of the shelter have not been effectively implemented, and those at the shelter remain at risk. There is supposed to be a police patrol vehicle outside the shelter at all times, but in this instance it was absent, leaving workers and migrants at risk. Without stronger protection measures and effective investigation of those behind the threats, intimidation and attacks against migrants in Saltillo and staff running the shelter may escalate further.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:

* Calling on the authorities to reinforce protection measures for the Saltillo migrants shelter to guarantee the safety of the staff at the Migrants' Shelter so that they can continue their work to defend the rights of migrants in Saltillo;

* Calling on the authorities to investigate all threats and intimidation against migrants and the staff who run the shelters and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 27 JULY 2011 TO:

Minister of the 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 30032900 ext. 32356

Email: secretario@segob.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Minister/Estimado Señor Secretario

Governor of Coahuila

Jorge Torres López

Gobernador del Estado de Coahuila

Palacio de Gobierno, 1er. Piso Juárez e Hidalgo s/n, Saltillo, C.P. 25000

Coahuila, MÉXICO

Fax: +52 844 438 0728 (and say: me puede dar tono de fax por favor)

Email: s.particular@coahuila.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Governor

And copies to:

Saltillo Migrants’ House Shelter

Email: fronteraconjusticia@gmail.com

Also send copies to 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

Hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants (those without official travel documents) attempt to travel through Mexico from Central and South America every year to reach the USA. Many are detained by the Mexican migration authorities and returned to their countries of origin. Amnesty International recently visited Mexico to investigate reports of human rights violations against these people. During the visit, Amnesty International found that many had been kidnapped by gangs, sometimes with the complicity of local officials. Impunity for abuses against migrants, who are extremely vulnerable, has allowed these abuses to increase, despite government commitments to ensure respect of migrants' rights.