Argentina
25.07.00
Urgent Interventions
Argentina: Harassment of human rights defender
URGENT APPEAL- THE OBSERVATORY
ARG 002/0007/OBS 074
Harassment of human rights defender
Argentina
25th July 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests you to intervene with the Argentinean authorities with utmost urgency in connection with the following situation.
Brief description of the facts
The Observatory has received information from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) regarding the harassment of Vanesa Piedrabuena, the leading ATUC (Asociacion Travestis Unidas de Cordoba) activist. The Observatory believes that this harassment is in connection with her involvement with the case of Vanesa Lorena Ledesma (legal name «Miguel Angel» Ledesma) an activist and member of the ATUC (See case ARG 001/0003/OBS 022) who was allegedly tortured and died in detention in February of this year.
According to information received, on Thursday 13th July 2000, police officers searched the house of Vanesa Piedrabuena. The police had an official warrant but it seemed without any justification. During the search, the officers’ attention focused on the negatives of pictures showing Vanesa Ledesma’s tortured body, which they studied for some time making comments among themselves. In this context, the Observatory fears for Vanesa Piedrabuena’s safety.
In the case of Vanesa Lorena Ledesma, on February 11, at 1 am, she was arrested in Mikons Bar, Cordoba. It was reported that the police used physical violence at the time of her arrest. No further news could be obtained about Vanesa from the time of her arrest until five days later, when on February 16th 2000, official police reports described her death and attributed it to a «cardiac arrest». An autopsy, performed from February 16 2000 at 8:30pm until February 17th 2000 at 1 am, shows strong evidence of physical punishment and torture. Pictures of her corpse, taken by friends, illustrate the severe physical abuse allegedly endured by Vanesa while in police custody.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by the intimidation of Vanesa Piedrabuena which confirms the harassment of the transvestite population in Cordoba and their activists.
Action requested
Please write to the Argentinean authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the Asociacion Travestis Unidas de Cordoba, all members of gay, lesbian, transvestite and bisexual organisations;
ii. carry out a full and impartial investigation into this alleged harassment of Vanesa Piedrabuena in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1999 ("Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ") and more particularly article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and Article 5 which provides that «For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups..»;
iv. more generally to abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and international covenants ratified by Argentina, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Articles 5.1 and 5.2 of the American Convention on Human Rights.
Addresses
(Cordoba's ombudsman)
Defensor del Pueblo de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. José María Zamanillo, Fx (54 351) 434 20 60 or 434 20 61
defpueblo@infovia.com.ar
(Cordoba's Attorney General)
Fiscal General de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. Miguel Angel Ortiz Pellegrini, Caseros 551, Córdoba, Argentina
Fax (54 351) 421 58 41
(Cordoba Governor)
Gobernador de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. José Manuel de la Sota, Attn: Secretaria General, Dra. Olga Riutort
Boulevard Chacabuco 1300, Córdoba, Argentina
Fax (54 351) 434 30 13, olga.riutort@cba.gov.ar
Ministro del Interior, Dr. Federico Storani, 25 de Mayo 101, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax (54 11 ) 43 31 70 51 or 43 42 60 81, diredcom@mininterior.gov.ar
Secretaria de Derechos Humanos, Dra. Diana Conti, Leandro N. Alem 150 PB, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax 54 11 43 43 23 26
S.E. Doctor Fernando De la Rúa, Presidente de la República, Casa Rosada, Balcarce 50, Buenos Aires, CF Argentina. Fax : + 541 331 6376 E-mail : postmaster@presidencia.gob.ar
Geneva - Paris, 25th July 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line : Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
ARG 002/0007/OBS 074
Harassment of human rights defender
Argentina
25th July 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests you to intervene with the Argentinean authorities with utmost urgency in connection with the following situation.
Brief description of the facts
The Observatory has received information from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) regarding the harassment of Vanesa Piedrabuena, the leading ATUC (Asociacion Travestis Unidas de Cordoba) activist. The Observatory believes that this harassment is in connection with her involvement with the case of Vanesa Lorena Ledesma (legal name «Miguel Angel» Ledesma) an activist and member of the ATUC (See case ARG 001/0003/OBS 022) who was allegedly tortured and died in detention in February of this year.
According to information received, on Thursday 13th July 2000, police officers searched the house of Vanesa Piedrabuena. The police had an official warrant but it seemed without any justification. During the search, the officers’ attention focused on the negatives of pictures showing Vanesa Ledesma’s tortured body, which they studied for some time making comments among themselves. In this context, the Observatory fears for Vanesa Piedrabuena’s safety.
In the case of Vanesa Lorena Ledesma, on February 11, at 1 am, she was arrested in Mikons Bar, Cordoba. It was reported that the police used physical violence at the time of her arrest. No further news could be obtained about Vanesa from the time of her arrest until five days later, when on February 16th 2000, official police reports described her death and attributed it to a «cardiac arrest». An autopsy, performed from February 16 2000 at 8:30pm until February 17th 2000 at 1 am, shows strong evidence of physical punishment and torture. Pictures of her corpse, taken by friends, illustrate the severe physical abuse allegedly endured by Vanesa while in police custody.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by the intimidation of Vanesa Piedrabuena which confirms the harassment of the transvestite population in Cordoba and their activists.
Action requested
Please write to the Argentinean authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the Asociacion Travestis Unidas de Cordoba, all members of gay, lesbian, transvestite and bisexual organisations;
ii. carry out a full and impartial investigation into this alleged harassment of Vanesa Piedrabuena in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9th 1999 ("Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ") and more particularly article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and Article 5 which provides that «For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups..»;
iv. more generally to abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and international covenants ratified by Argentina, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Articles 5.1 and 5.2 of the American Convention on Human Rights.
Addresses
(Cordoba's ombudsman)
Defensor del Pueblo de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. José María Zamanillo, Fx (54 351) 434 20 60 or 434 20 61
defpueblo@infovia.com.ar
(Cordoba's Attorney General)
Fiscal General de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. Miguel Angel Ortiz Pellegrini, Caseros 551, Córdoba, Argentina
Fax (54 351) 421 58 41
(Cordoba Governor)
Gobernador de la Provincia de Córdoba, Dr. José Manuel de la Sota, Attn: Secretaria General, Dra. Olga Riutort
Boulevard Chacabuco 1300, Córdoba, Argentina
Fax (54 351) 434 30 13, olga.riutort@cba.gov.ar
Ministro del Interior, Dr. Federico Storani, 25 de Mayo 101, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax (54 11 ) 43 31 70 51 or 43 42 60 81, diredcom@mininterior.gov.ar
Secretaria de Derechos Humanos, Dra. Diana Conti, Leandro N. Alem 150 PB, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fax 54 11 43 43 23 26
S.E. Doctor Fernando De la Rúa, Presidente de la República, Casa Rosada, Balcarce 50, Buenos Aires, CF Argentina. Fax : + 541 331 6376 E-mail : postmaster@presidencia.gob.ar
Geneva - Paris, 25th July 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency line : Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch