URGENT ACTION

INDIGENOUS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT RISK
Armed men abducted Mexican Indigenous human rights defenders, Obtilia Eugenio Manuel and Hilario Cornelio Castro on 12 February 2019. Their captors released them on 16 February amidst an increasing national and international outcry over their disappearance. They continue doing their human rights work and continue at risk, while their attackers are at large. Both HRDs are members of the Organization of Indigenous Mepha'a People (OPIM, Organización del Pueblo Indígena Mepha'a). Obtilia Eugenio is also an elected member of the Indigenous Municipal Council of Ayutla de los Libres, Guerrero state, in southern Mexico. The authorities must implement protection measures on their behalf, investigate the attack they suffered, and bring those responsible to justice.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Olga Sánchez Cordero
Minister of Interior
Calle Abraham González No. 48
Col. Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Ciudad de México, C.P. 06600
MÉXICO
Twitter: @SEGOB_mx @M_OlgaSCordero
Dear Minister,

I write to you in relation to the attack against human rights defenders Obtilia Eugenio Manuel and Hilario Cornelio Castro, members of the Organization of Indigenous Mepha'a People (OPIM) who were held captive by armed men from 12 to 16 February, in Guerrero state. They will continue to be at risk until those responsible for the attack are brought to justice because they continue to carry on their human rights work.

Obtilia Eugenio Manuel is a founder and leader of OPIM and a recognized human rights defender. She was recently elected to the Indigenous Municipal Council of Ayutla de los Libres, in Guerrero state. She has received serious threats in the past due to her human rights work and is recipient of provisional measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights since 2009. So far, the protection provided by the Mexican government has been ineffective. 

I urge you to immediately take all necessary measures to guarantee their life and safety, so they can continue their work in defence of human rights without fear of reprisals; and to deliver a prompt, impartial and effective investigation into their abduction.

Yours sincerely,

Additional information
Human rights defenders and activists constantly face threats, intimidation and harassment in Mexico. A federal mechanism for protection of human rights defenders and journalists was established in 2012 but has failed to effectively protect them. 
Obtilia Eugenio Manuel is a founder and one of the leaders of the Organization of Indigenous Mepha'a People (OPIM, Organización del Pueblo Indígena Mepha'a). Her organization works for the protection of human rights of the Mepha'a Indigenous People, in Guerrero state and had participated in emblematic cases such as the case of Inés Fernández Ortega, who was subjected to torture by military personnel in Guerrero state in 2002 and whose case has decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in a 2010-judgment condemning Mexico. 
Members of OPIM have faced attacks and intimidation in past years and since 2009. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the Mexican state to provide Obtilia Eugenio Manuel, her family and other members of OPIM with effective protection measures and to investigate the attacks that same year. 
Raúl Hernández, an OPIM activist, spent more than two years in prison on unsubstantiated charges. Amnesty International declared him a prisoner of conscience in 2008 and was eventually released on 30 August 2010 (https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr41/059/2008/en/). Four other activists were also imprisoned with him for 11 months until they were released.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 3 April 2019
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN Obtilia Eugenio Manuel (She, her, hers) Hilario Cornelio Castro (He, him, his)

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr41/9856/2019/en/ 

Additional TARGETS

And copies to:
Gobernador Constitucional del estado de Guerrero  
Héctor Astudillo Flores 
Boulevard René Juárez Cisneros 62, 
Cd. de los servicios, 
Chilpancingo de los Bravo, C.P 39074 
Estado de Guerrero, México 
Twitter: @HectorAstudillo @Gob_Guerrero
 
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. HIS EXCELLENCY MR JULIÁN VENTURA, Head of Mission Embassy of Mexico, 16 St. George Street, London, W1S 1FD Phone: 020 7499 8586 Email: mexuk@sre.gob.mx  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Embamex-Reino-Unido/197866996938638twitter: @Embamexru Salutation: Your Excellency Please check with your section before sending appeals after the above date.