Guatemala: Death Threats Follow American Home Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit [We do not ordinarily post Amnesty International items, because their history (especially in the recent past) has shown them to be highly politicized and also unreliable and highly gullible when it comes down to the crunch -- but this is one issue on which we believe Amnesty Intl USA deserves support, as does human rights activist Barbara Bocek.] source - "GHRC" SPECIAL ACTION 12 October 2001 NSA # 9/01 Fear for safety Guatemala/United States Barbara Bocek (AIUSA human rights activist) Amnesty International is deeply concerned for the safety of US citizen Barbara Bocek, who has received repeated death threats in the United States and was the victim of an attempted abduction in Guatemala on June 11. Barbara Bocek is a country specialist on Guatemala for Amnesty International USA. Barbara Bocek received the first in a series of anonymous death threats by telephone on 1 May, shortly after a U.S. newspaper published an op-ed piece she had written. Ms. Bocek's op ed called for justice in the trial of three military officers for the murder of Guatemalan bishop Juan Jose Gerardi. Since then, she has received death threats in the U.S. in the form of anonymous phone calls, faxes, notes placed on her car while parked in various locations, and written messages left around her home. Several of the threats have made reference to Ms. Bocek's op-ed piece and the case of Bishop Gerardi and warned her to stay out of Guatemalan affairs. In one of the telephoned threats, the caller warned Ms. Bocek, 'Neither the authorities nor a pile of letters will save you worthless people mixed up in the Gerardi case if it goes badly,' (Ni las autoridades ni un monton de cartas les va salvar a los desgraciados metidos en el caso Gerardi si este va para abajo) and 'See you in Guatemala. We're waiting for you there.' (Nos vemos en Guatemala, ahi te esperamos.) On 11 June, while participating in an Amnesty International research mission to Guatemala, Ms. Bocek was seized outside her hotel room by two men, one of them armed. She was later found bound and gagged in the fire escape stairwell of the hotel, where her abductors left her when their plans apparently went awry. Ms. Bocek reported this attempted kidnapping to the Guatemalan authorities. In the aftermath of the attack, Interior Minister Byron Barrientos dismissed the abduction as a deliberate fabrication by Amnesty International. While Ms. Bocek survived the attack of 11 June, she has still faced constant acts of intimidation against her in the United States. To this date she has received a total of twelve death threats. The most recent incident occurred on 8 October when Ms. Bocek discovered a large knife thrust through the screen of one of the windows of her home. Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the abuses against Ms. Bocek form part of a campaign to silence her activism on behalf of human rights in Guatemala and to intimidate other human rights defenders. BACKGROUND INFORMATION In May 2000 charges were filed in two important human rights cases in Guatemala, one concerning the murder of Bishop Gerardi, the other concerning massacres committed under the Lucas Garcia government. Since then, AI has noted a sharp increase in abuses directed against Guatemalan human rights activists and others involved in or reporting on these anti-impunity initiatives. Many human rights defenders have received death threats and been subjected to acts of intimidation; the offices of a number of organizations have been broken into and important data stolen, altered or destroyed. The Guatemalan authorities have been ineffective in investigating or preventing such harassment. Furthermore, AI is aware of at least one other recent case in which individuals associated with important Guatemalan human rights cases reported threats in the United States (see NSA #4/01). Amnesty International is concerned that these acts may form part of an international campaign of intimidation aimed at undermining the work of Guatemalan human rights defenders and others involved in or reporting on human rights inquiries or corruption issues. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send emails/faxes/express/airmail letters: - explaining AI's concerns about the continuing series of threats against Ms. Bocek in the United States - noting that while the FBI is investigating the matter there is concern that the threats may be orchestrated from Guatemala by individuals who are members of official agencies or who are close to such agencies. - calling upon Guatemalan authorities to undertake an immediate and thorough investigation into the threats against Ms. Bocek, including the June 11 abduction in Guatemala and its apparent connection to the death threats she has received in the United States, and to determine whether official state agents, or people working closely with them, are in fact responsible for the abuses. - insisting that those responsible for these acts be brought to justice. - expressing concern for the safety of all those working to protect human rights and freedom of expression, particularly those who have suffered recent threats or intimidation. APPEALS TO: Ambassador Ariel Rivera Irias Embassy of Guatemala 2220 R St. NW Washington DC 20008 Phone: 1 202 745 4952 Fax: 1 202 745 1908 Email : ambassador@ guatemala-embassy.org Go to http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html to read this month's newsletter. Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights. Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: uan@aiusa.org http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ Phone: 303 258 1170 Fax: 303 258 7881 ================================================================= 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-10.12.01-22:48:18-31340