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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Human Rights Commission: Yurécuaro Self-Defense Leader Tortured by police

Big thanks to reader "Pepe" for the translation of this article for Borderland Beat


Police Brutally tortured the autodefensa leader, 
in an attempt to coerce a  confession
The Michoacán State Human Rights Commission concluded its investigation of allegations of torture on the part state officials against Enrique Hernández Saucedo, leader of the self-defense groups in Yurécuaro, Michoacán.

After several public complaints, the Commission began an investigation into whether “ there is evidence indicating torture” in the arrest of the self-defense leader accused of being the principal conspirator in the murder of Gustavo Garibay García, former mayor of Tanhuato. 

Last Monday, the 31st of March, Alfredo Castillo Cervantes, the Commissioner for Public Safety in Michoacán, alleged that the murder of the Mayor of Tanhuato, was orchestrated by the leader of the self-defense groups in Yurécuaro, Enrique Hernández.

In a press conference, Castillo stated when Hernández was first questioned by state authorities, he denied his involvement in the murder of the mayor, but he was later arrested.
Later, state officials arrested 19 other members of the self-defense group in Yurécuaro, four of whom “confessed” to the murder of the mayor and stated that Enrique Hernández ordered the murder.

In an interview, Lorenzo Corro Díaz, with the State Human Rights Commission, stated that after a medical review conducted by the Commission, experts found evidence of physical torture, beatings and asphyxiation.

Moreover, according to the statement given to the Commission by Hernández, three other colleagues were similarly tortured, and one died as a result of beating and a gunshot wound while in custody.
 
Corro Díaz went on to state that Hernández described the following: 

After refusing to say what the police wanted, “he was taken to a closed van, where they placed a plastic bag over his head and sealed it around his neck.  They later poured water over his head and repeatedly struck his ears with their open palms and beat him throughout his body.”

This beating took place from Saturday around noon the 29th of March into the following Sunday.  His wounds from the torture and beating were not treated until Monday, the 31st, when he was placed in the prison just outside Morelia.

“He said they had been looking for him for the murder of the mayor of Tanhuato  and they called someone known as ‘El Yanki’ who works for the state police.”

This guy (El Yanki), stated Hernández, asked him to come for an interview with the state Attorney General, “but when I got there, I saw three other self-defense members who had been badly beaten, with signs of torture, who said they had been forced to confess.” 

“El Yanki” told Hernández he had to get results because he had made a contract with a state security official.

Corro Díaz concluded; “Our medical specialists found evidence of torture exactly as Hernández described.”

“Our doctor found evidence of torture in the respiratory system and a high level of inflammation in the inner ears, so bad that we expect he’ll lose most of his sense of hearing.  Moreover, we found bruises throughout his body consistent with the torture described.”

At this time the formal investigation by the Commission is on hold because Hernández wants to first talk to his lawyer before proceeding with the complaint.

Nonetheless the complaint is open and there’s hope it will go forward because, as Corro Díaz stated, torture “weakens the society’s confidence in the system of justice.”

10 comments:

  1. the state officials should be shot the people suppor the autodefensas not the state officals

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  2. The Government is setting themselves up for revolution. Torture? Why go so far?

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  3. the autodefensas are no good and up to no good, i guess...
    while the federales are too busy looking for the most stupid arguments to imprison as many AD and policia comunitaria as possible, and reasons to send them away as "rural" police, no reason can be found to get rid of those corrupt elements of the municipl or state police, WHY?
    They are very good priistas, and fucking mexico and the mexican "pissants" is what they do.

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  4. It looks like the government; governors, majors, police are protecting the criminal and want to punish and disarm autodefensas and Mexican people in general. so where is the constitutional right to defend our family.

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  5. The autodefensas scare the crap out of the govt. People actually fighting back. They are forcing communities to fight. My bet is on the mexican autodefensas. They have the biggest balls in this fight.

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  6. Y despues se preguntan por que mexico esta tan jodido.cuando la policia actuan como criminales no esperen orden. Lastima por los inocentes porque el gobierno y las personas que se supone que protejan las leyes de maxico son capaces de vender sus culos y los culos de sus madres por $$$.

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  7. Jesus Reyna and Fausto Vallejo are the more or less the same crap,,,, Señor Enrique Hernandez you have biggest balls, knowing what you have through for defending your town and family I can't believe this piece of shit government went after you for doing something they suppose to be taking care of.....Peña Nieto is this the shitty county you are trying to promote ? Fucker

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  8. Mexico needs a rebellion.

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  9. Something stinks here this guy enrique hernandez was a legit citizen who first faced the templarios even before the autodefensas helped him this gobierno de mierda is not to be trusted

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