• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: Indigenous Defender Killed, Others at Risk (Mexico: UA 103.18)

May 22, 2018

Indigenous environmental rights defender Manuel Gaspar Rodríguez was found dead on 14 May in Cuetzalan, Puebla state. He was one of a number of defenders facing criminal investigation for their opposition to the construction of a high-voltage power line. These defenders are at grave risk and have recently been subject to attacks and intimidation.

Indigenous environmental rights defender Manuel Gaspar Rodríguez was found dead on 14 May in Cuetzalan, Puebla state. He was one of a number of defenders facing criminal investigation for their opposition to the construction of a high-voltage power line. These defenders are at grave risk and have recently been subject to attacks and intimidation. 1) TAKE ACTION Write a letter, send an email, call, fax or tweet:
  • Calling on the State Attorney General to ensure a prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigation into the death of Manuel Gaspar Rodríguez, ensuring that his work as a human rights defender is part of the lines of inquiry and allowing his lawyers full access to the casefile;
  • Calling on authorities to ensure the safety of members of the MIOCUP and the Tosepan collective and investigate any attacks against them;
  • Calling on the Mayor of Cuetzalan to urgently and publicly recognize the legitimate role of environmental human rights defenders in the region and refrain from undermining their work publicly or privately.

Contact these two officials by 29 June 2018:

State Attorney General Lic. Víctor Antonio Barranca Bourget Fiscal General del Estado de Puebla Boulevard Héroes del 5 de Mayo 31 Oriente, Ladrillera de Benítez, C.P. 72530, Puebla, Puebla, México Phone: +52 222 211 7900 ext. 4019 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @FiscaliaPuebla Salutation: Dear Attorney General

Ambassador Geronimo Gutierrez Fernandez, Embassy of Mexico 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20006 Phone: 1 202 728 1600  I  Fax: 202 728 1698 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @GERONIMO__GF Salutation: Dear Ambassador

2) LET US KNOW YOU TOOK ACTION Click here to let us know if you took action on this case! This is Urgent Action 103.18 Here’s why it is so important to report your actions: we record the actions taken on each case—letters, emails, calls and tweets—and use that information in our advocacy. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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