Mexico, 8 November 2011: Women's rights organization raided in Mexico

On 3 November, there was a raid on the office of Consorcio Oaxaca, a women's rights organization in Oaxaca state, south west Mexico. There is fear for the safety of the staff and concerns that their human rights’ work for women could be put at risk . UA: 329/11 Index: AMR 41/071/2011

In the morning of 3 November 2011, the staff of Consorcio Oaxaca (full name Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca A.C.) found that their office had been broken into and equipment had been stolen, including two computers, four memory sticks and two voice recorders. All these contained valuable files of the organisation’s work as well as interviews with victims, suggesting those who carried out the raid were seeking information related to the organization's human rights work.

In recent months, Consorcio Oaxaca staff have reported being followed by individuals unknown to them. On 22 September 2011 one staff member received a anonymous telephone call from a man who asked if Rosita Alvírez lived there ("Aquí vive Rosita Alvírez?"), which is believed to be an allusion to a well known Mexican song where a woman is killed by three gun shots for declining to dance with a man.

Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:

Calling on the authorities to guarantee the safety of workers at the Consorcio Oaxaca in accordance with their wishes to enable them to continue their human rights work;

Calling on the authorities to carry out a full, prompt and impartial investigation into the break-in at the office of Consorcio Oaxaca and intimidation of staff in recent months and for those responsible to be brought to justice;

Reminding the authorities of their responsibility to ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their legitiamte activities without fear of reprisals.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 20 DECEMBER 2011 TO :

Oaxaca State Attorney
Lic. Manuel de Jesús López López
Centro administrativo del Poder Ejecutivo y
Judicial General Porfirio Díaz Edificios Jesús "Chu" Rasgado y Alvaro Carrillo, Oaxaca de Juárez
Oaxaca, México
Fax: +52 951 501 6900 (dial ext. 20635 after automatic answer)
Email: procuradoroaxaca@hotmail.com
Salutation: Dear Attorney

Minister of the Interior
Lic. José Francisco Blake Mora
Secretario de Gobernación
Abraham González No.48
Col. Juárez, Del. Cuauhtémoc
México, D.F, C. P. 06600, Mexico
Fax: +52 55 5093 3414
Email: secretario@segob.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Minister

And copies to:

Consorcio Oaxaca
Email: yesica@consorciooaxaca.org.mx
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.