AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE

AI Index: AMR 41/029/2003 (Public)
News Service No: 175
18 July 2003


Amnesty International expresses grave concern at the news that the Special Prosecutor, Margarita Guerra, intends to conclude the investigation into the death of the human rights defender, Digna Ochoa, bringing a verdict of suicide.

The report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights -- published less than one month ago -- identified serious shortcomings in the investigation, including the failure to follow all available lines of investigation. In addition, the lawyers assisting in the case allege that they have important evidence which, according to them, has not been received by the authorities. The organization considers it essential that the Office of the Attorney General for the Federal District rectify these shortcomings before concluding the investigation.

If the Office of the Attorney General for the Federal District closes the file in these circumstances, the death of Digna Ochoa risks becoming just one more of the many cases in which the results of the investigation have been called into question through a lack of procedural rigour and efficiency.

Amnesty International hopes to have the opportunity to analyse the Special Prosecutor's decision in greater detail once it is made public.

Public Document

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org

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