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 Editorials | At Issue | May 2006 
CNDH: 23 Women Were Abused
 Liliana Alcantara - El Universal
| | File photo showing Mexican riot police detaining a villager in San Salvador Atenco, about 50 km (31 miles) east of Mexico City May 4, 2006. Six years after Mexican President Vicente Fox set in motion ambitious plans to end rampant rights abuse, he has barely dented chronic problems like police torture and impunity for once powerful leaders, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday. Picture taken May 4, 2006. (Reuters/Daniel Aguilar) |
Top officials from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) said on Monday that 23 cases of sexual abuse and rape have been documented following the violent clash between protesters and police in San Salvador Atenco earlier this month.
In a press conference, CNDH inspector Susana Thalía Pedroza said that experts had gathered medical opinions, videos and photographs so that "no one can say that these women are lying."
Pedroza, along with CNDH head José Luis Soberanes, said there were 16 cases of women being groped and molested by police, and seven cases of rape. Four of the women were foreigners who were deported shortly after being arrested.
The women were among the more than 200 people detained on May 3 and 4 in the State of Mexico town.
The conflict began when local authorities tried to forcefully move a group of flower sellers from the nearby town of Texcoco. The sellers, along with members of a radical farmers´ group, blocked local highways in response.
In addition to the sexual assaults, federal and state police who eventually overpowered the protesters have been accused of killing a 14-year-old boy, making hundreds of arbitrary arrests, using excessive force and raiding the homes of residents.
211 COMPLAINTS
The CNDH has received 211 complaints regarding the incident, Soberanes said. These include the sexual abuse, along with cruel and degrading treatment, property damage, illegal seizures, robbery, and threats, among others.
The CNDH, which receives funding from the federal government but operates autonomously, began investigating abuse allegations shortly after the clash occurred.
Authorities from the State of Mexico police force have said the accusations are an attempt to make law enforcement look bad.
AP contributed to this report. |
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