Mexico
22.02.02
Urgent Interventions
Mexico: enforced disappearance of Ms. Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz and her daughter
Case MEX 220202
Arbitrary detention/ Enforced or involuntary disappearance
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the enforced disappearance of Ms. Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz, and her daughter, the girl Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, both detained together with Ms. Virginia Márquez (mother in law of the former and paternal grandmother of the girl), and her two sons, Mr. José Roberto Vásquez Márquez and Mr. Manuel Fernando Vásquez Márquez, following events that occurred after a military operation in the Colonia Infonavit, Buena Vista, city of Matamoros, estate of Tamaulipas.
According to the information received, Mr. José Covarrubias Cárdenas discovered through the press that his son in law Mr. Francisco Alberto Vásquez Márquez had been detained during the military operations in Colonia Infonavit, Buena Vista. Mr. Covarrubias Cardenas tried to contact his daughter, and went to her mother-in-law’s residence, but he did not find her there. Mr. Jose Covarrubias Cardenas, reportedly asked the neighbours for her whereabouts, and they claimed that on January 14th, 2002, a convoy of more than a 100 people, apparently members of the Mexican army, arrived at Ms. Virginia Marquez’s home and proceeded to detain her together with her two sons José Roberto Vásquez Márquez and Manuel Fernando Vásquez Márquez, as well as Nayali Covarrubias and the 6-month old girl, Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias. A neighbour who reportedly tried to prevent the abduction of the girl, was threatened by one of the alleged members of the military.
According to the information received, the Covarrubias family went to the 4a. Visitaduría de la Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos (CEDH), which refused to help them. The report states that the family subsequently went twice to the Octava Zona Militar located in Reynosa, and talked to the General Luis Roberto Gutierrez Florez who told them on the first trip, that ‘his daughter and granddaughter were alright, and that they were protecting them for their security in Mexico City.’ He reportedly offered to give the address where they were currently held as soon as they had the money to move to Mexico City to see them.
According to the information received, on the second trip, they asked General Gutierrez Florez, for the address that he had previously offered, as they had already obtained the money necessary for the tickets to go and see her daughter. The General refused to do this arguing that he had to ask his superiors. On January 18th, 2002, they returned to the military area and after waiting several hours, they only got through to general Francisco Castillo who refused to give them any information.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz and her 6-month old daughter Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, as reports show that five weeks after their detention, the authorities responsible refuse to grant any information on their whereabouts.
Action Requested:
Please write to write to the authorities of Mexico urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to locate the whereabouts of Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz and her daughter Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, and guarantee their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order the immediate release of the people detained in connection to this case, in particular Mr. Francisco Alberto Vasquez Marquez in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in particular on the fact of having detained a 6-month old girl, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards ratified by Mexico, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses:
· Dr. Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Tel. (+ 52 5) 395 67 00, 272 69 03, 515 57 14. Fax :(+ 52 5)277 23 76. Webpage http://www.presidencia.gob.mx
· General Rafael Macedo de la Concha, Procurador General de la República, Tel.: (+ 52 5) 626 44 26. Fax: (+ 52 5) 346 09 06
· Dr. José Luis Soberanes Fernández, Presidente de la CNDH, México, D.F. Tel: (+ 52 5) 631 00 40, fax (+ 52 5) 681 97 93;(+52 5)681 84 90, Email: correo@fmdh.cndh.org.mx
· Licenciado Tomás Yarrington Ruvalcaba, Gobernador del Estado de Tamaulipas, fax (+83 4) 312 34 92
· General Javier del Real Magallanes. Octava Zona Militar Reynosa, Tamaulipas. fax: (+ 89 9) 923 06 16
· Tribunal de Justicia del Estado de Tamaulipas ; Tel.: (131) 2-84-22, Correo Electrónico: inftribunal2@infosel.net.mx
Please also write to the embassies of Mexico in your respective country.
Geneva, February 22nd, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary detention/ Enforced or involuntary disappearance
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the enforced disappearance of Ms. Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz, and her daughter, the girl Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, both detained together with Ms. Virginia Márquez (mother in law of the former and paternal grandmother of the girl), and her two sons, Mr. José Roberto Vásquez Márquez and Mr. Manuel Fernando Vásquez Márquez, following events that occurred after a military operation in the Colonia Infonavit, Buena Vista, city of Matamoros, estate of Tamaulipas.
According to the information received, Mr. José Covarrubias Cárdenas discovered through the press that his son in law Mr. Francisco Alberto Vásquez Márquez had been detained during the military operations in Colonia Infonavit, Buena Vista. Mr. Covarrubias Cardenas tried to contact his daughter, and went to her mother-in-law’s residence, but he did not find her there. Mr. Jose Covarrubias Cardenas, reportedly asked the neighbours for her whereabouts, and they claimed that on January 14th, 2002, a convoy of more than a 100 people, apparently members of the Mexican army, arrived at Ms. Virginia Marquez’s home and proceeded to detain her together with her two sons José Roberto Vásquez Márquez and Manuel Fernando Vásquez Márquez, as well as Nayali Covarrubias and the 6-month old girl, Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias. A neighbour who reportedly tried to prevent the abduction of the girl, was threatened by one of the alleged members of the military.
According to the information received, the Covarrubias family went to the 4a. Visitaduría de la Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos (CEDH), which refused to help them. The report states that the family subsequently went twice to the Octava Zona Militar located in Reynosa, and talked to the General Luis Roberto Gutierrez Florez who told them on the first trip, that ‘his daughter and granddaughter were alright, and that they were protecting them for their security in Mexico City.’ He reportedly offered to give the address where they were currently held as soon as they had the money to move to Mexico City to see them.
According to the information received, on the second trip, they asked General Gutierrez Florez, for the address that he had previously offered, as they had already obtained the money necessary for the tickets to go and see her daughter. The General refused to do this arguing that he had to ask his superiors. On January 18th, 2002, they returned to the military area and after waiting several hours, they only got through to general Francisco Castillo who refused to give them any information.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz and her 6-month old daughter Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, as reports show that five weeks after their detention, the authorities responsible refuse to grant any information on their whereabouts.
Action Requested:
Please write to write to the authorities of Mexico urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to locate the whereabouts of Nayeli Covarrubias Ortiz and her daughter Nahomi Itzel Vázquez Covarrubias, and guarantee their physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order the immediate release of the people detained in connection to this case, in particular Mr. Francisco Alberto Vasquez Marquez in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in particular on the fact of having detained a 6-month old girl, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards ratified by Mexico, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses:
· Dr. Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Tel. (+ 52 5) 395 67 00, 272 69 03, 515 57 14. Fax :(+ 52 5)277 23 76. Webpage http://www.presidencia.gob.mx
· General Rafael Macedo de la Concha, Procurador General de la República, Tel.: (+ 52 5) 626 44 26. Fax: (+ 52 5) 346 09 06
· Dr. José Luis Soberanes Fernández, Presidente de la CNDH, México, D.F. Tel: (+ 52 5) 631 00 40, fax (+ 52 5) 681 97 93;(+52 5)681 84 90, Email: correo@fmdh.cndh.org.mx
· Licenciado Tomás Yarrington Ruvalcaba, Gobernador del Estado de Tamaulipas, fax (+83 4) 312 34 92
· General Javier del Real Magallanes. Octava Zona Militar Reynosa, Tamaulipas. fax: (+ 89 9) 923 06 16
· Tribunal de Justicia del Estado de Tamaulipas ; Tel.: (131) 2-84-22, Correo Electrónico: inftribunal2@infosel.net.mx
Please also write to the embassies of Mexico in your respective country.
Geneva, February 22nd, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.