UA 109/99 on guatemala 5/14/99 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - ghrc@igc.org U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L --------------------------------------------------- UA 109/99 Fear for safety 14 May 1999 GUATEMALA Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar, Human Rights Procurator Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of the Human Rights Procurator of Guatemala, Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar, who has recently received death threats against him and his family. According to reports, on one day alone, 11 April 1999, around 40 threatening phone calls were made to his home. During one call, a child's voice asked for his daughter-in-law, who was then told 'Vamos a matar a tu suegro' 'We are going to kill your father-in-law.' The Procurator said he has periodically been receiving threats for a long time, but that since last week they had been constant. He believes that these threats may be being orchestrated by government intelligence services, who are, he said, experts in psychological warfare. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Guatemala was the first country in Latin America to introduce a Procuraduria (Procurator's Office),having provided for such an office in its 1985 Constitution. The procurator is elected every five years by the Congress and is mandated to defend the human rights guaranteed in the Constitution, monitor the actions of the executive branch of government with respect to human rights issues and make an annual report on human rights matters. Julio Arango Escobar was elected in August 1997. During his period in office he has published several reports criticising actions taken by the President and his advisors. He has expressed particular concern about the investigation into the murder of Bishop Juan Jose Gerardi, whose killers have not been brought to justice one year after his death (see UA 139/98, 1 May 1998, AMR 34/16/908 and follow-ups) RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/faxes/express/airmail letters: -expressing concern at the recent death threats directed at the Human Rights Procurator Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar, and urging the authorities to take all necessary steps to guarantee his safety; -urging the authorities to investigate these threats and bring those responsible to justice; -urging the authorities to ensure that Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar can freely and openly perform his legitimate duties as Human Rights Procurator; - as the threats to the Human Rights Procurator are a serious challenge to all human rights defenders in Guatemala, please also try and arrange messages to the Guatemalan authorities in the name of your Section as a whole, signed by the Section director. Also try and interest prominent authorities or personalities in your country in protesting against this attack on human rights protection in Guatemala. APPEALS TO: President of the Republic: S.E. Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala 6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1 Palacio Nacional Guatemala, GUATEMALA Dear President: Faxes: 011 502 221 4537 Telegrams: Presidente, Guatemala, GUATEMALA E-mail: AlvaroArzu@guate.net / alvaroarzu@guateconnect.com Minister of Interior: Lic. Rodolfo Mendoza Rosales Ministro de Gobernacion Ministerio de Gobernacion Despacho Ministerial, Of. N0 8, 6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1, Palacio Nacional Palacio Nacional Guatemala, GUATEMALA Dear Minister: Faxes: 011 502 232 1207/ 362 0239 Telegrams: Ministro de Gobernacion, Guatemala, GUATEMALA COPIES TO: Human Rights Procurator: Lic. Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar Procurador de Derechos Humanos Procaduria de los Derechos Humanos 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala , Guatemala Faxes: 011 502 2535712 / 238 1734 / 251 7769 Daily newspaper: Diario Prensa Libre 13 Calle 9-31, Zona l Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA Faxes: 011 502 251 8768 E-mail: medioselectronicos@prensalibre.com.gt Ambassador William Howard Stixrud Embassy of Guatemala 2220 R St. NW Washington DC 20008 Phone: 202 745 4952 Fax: 202 745 1908 Email: embaguat@sysnet.net Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after June 25, 1999. This information is from Amnesty International's research headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide movement working for the international protection of human rights. It seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color, sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions (political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners without reservation. Amnesty International promotes awareness of and adherance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally recognized human rights instruments, the values enshrined in them and the indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights and freedoms. Please do not repost this appeal to any part of the Internet without prior permission from Amnesty International. Thank you for your help with this appeal. Please read the monthly Urgent Action Network Newsletter posted on the web at: http://www.amnesty-USA.org/urgact/newslett.html Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: sharriso@aiusa.org http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgact/ 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-05.14.99-20:12:40-22229