Ecuador
03.07.00
Urgent Interventions
Ecuador: students illegally detained and beaten by police
Ecuador: students illegally detained and beaten by police
Case ECU 030700
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in Ecuador.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned by the illegal detention and violation of the right to personal integrity carried out by forces of public order against Cristian Padilla, Marcelo Arreaga, Edgar Tipán, Luis Santiago Moreno, Edison Sandoval and Carlos Echeverría, students in the Escuela Politécnica Nacional de Quito.
According to reports from CEDHU, the Ecumenical Commission on Human Rights, on Thursday June 15th while a general strike was observed in the whole country, at about 17:00 hours, over 30 policemen entered the university campus and detained Cristian Padilla, Marcelo Arreaga, Edgar Tipán, Luis Santiago Moreno, Edison Sandoval and Carlos Echeverría.
During their detention the youngsters were beaten and threatened by the police. According to their testimony they were beaten with a cudgel until it broke on the back of Marcelo Arreaga. Similarly Edison Sandoval was forced to lie down flat on his face and was trampled on the back and gluteus. The Sub-lieutenant Wladimir Briones stopped on the back of Luis Santiago Moreno and hit him with such force that he caused a fissure in the nose and a physical incapacity of up to 30 days. While the students were being beaten they were threatened that they would be raped, the police referring to the film "Sicario" in which youths were brutally raped and murdered.
When they arrived at the Centre for Provisional Detention (CDP) admission was refused because of the obvious haematoma which they bore. Sub-lieutenant Briones took them to the Health Centre N. 1 where a doctor proceeded to make out certificates without a careful examination of the haematoma and other bruises from blows. Back at the CDSP Sub-lieutenent Briones had to sign the entry form because according to the staff of that institution the certificates of the Health Centre were not correct.
According to the police report drafted by sub-lieut. Wladimir Briones, the blows and haematoma observed on the detained youths were the result of the demonstrations. However at the time of their detention which was witnessed by professors and the fathers of families, who were also attacked by the police, none of the boys were taking part in the demonstrations and before their detention they bore no signs of physical aggression.
The students have been the victims of violations of fundamental rights, such as the right to personal integrity and freedom. These rights are guaranteed in articles 23 and 24 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as in the American Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture, and other international instruments ratified by the state of Ecuador.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of Ecuador urging them to:
i. guarantee an impartial and immediate inquiry into the aforementioned facts, in order to identify the degree of participation and responsibility of the members of the police in order that those responsible be tried and sanctioned according to the law;
ii. guarantee the security and freedom of the victims and their families;
iii. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international conventions and covenants signed and ratified by Ecuador.
Addresses
Doctor Gustavo Noboa Bejarano, Presidente de la República de Ecuador, Palacio de Gobierno, García Moreno 1043 y Chile, Quito Ecuador. Fax (+593-2) 58 07 35
Doctor Antonio Andretta, Ministro de Gobierno y Policía, Espejo y Benalcázar, Quito, Ecuador.
Fax (+ 593-2) 58 00 67
Doctor Mario Cevallos, Comandante General de la policía Nacional, Ramírez Dávalos y 10 de Agosto, Quito Ecuador. Fax (+ 593-2) 50 26 14
General José Vicente Villacís Flores, Subsecretario de Policía, Ministerio de Gobierno, Quito Ecuador.
Fax (+ 593-2) 58 00 67
Geneva, 3 July 2000
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply
Case ECU 030700
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in Ecuador.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned by the illegal detention and violation of the right to personal integrity carried out by forces of public order against Cristian Padilla, Marcelo Arreaga, Edgar Tipán, Luis Santiago Moreno, Edison Sandoval and Carlos Echeverría, students in the Escuela Politécnica Nacional de Quito.
According to reports from CEDHU, the Ecumenical Commission on Human Rights, on Thursday June 15th while a general strike was observed in the whole country, at about 17:00 hours, over 30 policemen entered the university campus and detained Cristian Padilla, Marcelo Arreaga, Edgar Tipán, Luis Santiago Moreno, Edison Sandoval and Carlos Echeverría.
During their detention the youngsters were beaten and threatened by the police. According to their testimony they were beaten with a cudgel until it broke on the back of Marcelo Arreaga. Similarly Edison Sandoval was forced to lie down flat on his face and was trampled on the back and gluteus. The Sub-lieutenant Wladimir Briones stopped on the back of Luis Santiago Moreno and hit him with such force that he caused a fissure in the nose and a physical incapacity of up to 30 days. While the students were being beaten they were threatened that they would be raped, the police referring to the film "Sicario" in which youths were brutally raped and murdered.
When they arrived at the Centre for Provisional Detention (CDP) admission was refused because of the obvious haematoma which they bore. Sub-lieutenant Briones took them to the Health Centre N. 1 where a doctor proceeded to make out certificates without a careful examination of the haematoma and other bruises from blows. Back at the CDSP Sub-lieutenent Briones had to sign the entry form because according to the staff of that institution the certificates of the Health Centre were not correct.
According to the police report drafted by sub-lieut. Wladimir Briones, the blows and haematoma observed on the detained youths were the result of the demonstrations. However at the time of their detention which was witnessed by professors and the fathers of families, who were also attacked by the police, none of the boys were taking part in the demonstrations and before their detention they bore no signs of physical aggression.
The students have been the victims of violations of fundamental rights, such as the right to personal integrity and freedom. These rights are guaranteed in articles 23 and 24 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as in the American Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture, and other international instruments ratified by the state of Ecuador.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of Ecuador urging them to:
i. guarantee an impartial and immediate inquiry into the aforementioned facts, in order to identify the degree of participation and responsibility of the members of the police in order that those responsible be tried and sanctioned according to the law;
ii. guarantee the security and freedom of the victims and their families;
iii. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international conventions and covenants signed and ratified by Ecuador.
Addresses
Doctor Gustavo Noboa Bejarano, Presidente de la República de Ecuador, Palacio de Gobierno, García Moreno 1043 y Chile, Quito Ecuador. Fax (+593-2) 58 07 35
Doctor Antonio Andretta, Ministro de Gobierno y Policía, Espejo y Benalcázar, Quito, Ecuador.
Fax (+ 593-2) 58 00 67
Doctor Mario Cevallos, Comandante General de la policía Nacional, Ramírez Dávalos y 10 de Agosto, Quito Ecuador. Fax (+ 593-2) 50 26 14
General José Vicente Villacís Flores, Subsecretario de Policía, Ministerio de Gobierno, Quito Ecuador.
Fax (+ 593-2) 58 00 67
Geneva, 3 July 2000
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply