Governor of Chihuahua State

Lic. José Reyes Baeza Terrazas

Gobernador del Estado de Chihuahua, Palacio de Gobierno,

1er piso, C. Aldama #901, Col. Centro,

Chihuahua, Estado de Chihuahua, C.P. 31000,

MEXICO

Dear Governor,

Human rights defenders María Luisa García Andrade and Marisela Ortíz Rivera have received written death threats. The threats were sent within days of the screening of “Bajo Juárez: The city devouring its daughters”, a documentary on the killings of women in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua City, Chihuahua state.

According to an eyewitness, on 30 October a dark car with tinted windows approached María Luisa García’s home in Ciudad Juárez while she was out. A man got out of the car, threw a stone at the house which broke a window through which he threw a large card which threatened to kill her and harm her children.

On 5 November, Marisela Ortíz also found in front of her home a card with letters pasted on to it saying “Under Juarez, death” (Vajo (sic) Juarez muerte). Both women have filed a complaint with the Federal Special Prosecutor on Violence against Women and People Trafficking.

I want to express my concern at the new threats received by María Luisa García on 30 October and Marisela Ortíz on 5 November and I call on the authorities to put in place comprehensive protection measures for them and their families, in accordance with her own wishes

Furthermore I urge the authorities to carry out an immediate and impartial investigation to identify those responsible for the threats received by María Luisa García and Marisela Ortíz and to bring them to justice and call on the authorities to provide information on the steps taken to investigate previous threats against them and other leading members of Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa in May 2008

Finally I want to call on the authorities to fulfil their obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and ensure that human rights defenders have a right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals.

Yours sincerely,

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