AI: El Salvador bulletin 2/3/2000 for nytcamer@ursula; Fri, 11 Feb 2000 22:50:03 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit +------------------------------------------------------+ + AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION BULLETIN + + Electronic distribution authorised + + This bulletin expires: 2 March 2000. + +------------------------------------------------------+ PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 29/02/00 3 February 2000 Further information on EXTRA 159/99 (AMR 29/06/99, 12 November 1999) - Fear for safety / Death threats/ possible extrajudicial execution EL SALVADOR William Hernandez, director of a non-governmental organization working with sexual minorities The authorities have apparently refused to provide protection for William Hernandez or investigate the death threats he has received. Amnesty International is concerned for his safety. William Hernandez is the executive director of the non-governmental organization Entre Amigos (Between Friends), which works with sexual minorities and provides sexual health education. The organisation has spoken out about human rights violations against sexual minorities and the failure of the authorities to investigate such abuses. On 5 November 1999 an anonymous caller rang the Entre Amigos office, in the capital, San Salvador, and threatened to come and kill William Hernandez, giving an accurate description of him. Members of Entre Amigos reportedly met several times with a sergeant from the Division de Proteccion a Personalidades Importantes, Important Persons Protection Unit, of the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC), National Civil Police, regarding the threats. However, in January the sergeant reportedly told them that the Attorney General's Office (Fascilia General) had not ordered any official investigation, and that his unit had not been ordered to provide protection. The sergeant also said that none of the officers in the unit were prepared to provide protection to William Hernandez, as they did not share his "sexual tastes" (gustos sexuales), and he should therefore hire a private security guard. There have been further reports of attacks on members of sexual minorities. Nestor Adonai Marenco was murdered on 12 December 1999, apparently targeted because he was a known homosexual. Amnesty International is not aware of any progress in the investigation into the killing. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are + + writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns + + described above. If you would like to join with them in + + this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action + + network or Amnesty International in general, please + + contact one of the following: + + + + Ray Mitchell, ua@amnesty.org.uk (UK) + + Scott Harrison, sharrison@igc.apc.org (USA) + + Guido Gabriel, ggabriel@amnesty.cl.sub.de (Germany) + + Marilyn McKim, mmckim@amnesty.ca (Canada) + + ua@aibf.be (Belgium) + + Anne Nolan, ua@amnesty.iol.ie (Ireland) + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-02.11.00-22:49:55-5035