6 May, 2014
On April 27, 2010, while Jyri Jaakkola and Bety Cariño were setting up a humanitarian and human rights convoy in the vicinity of the indigenous community of San Juan Copala, they were fatally attacked by a paramilitary group known as UBISORT. Their murders generated national and international outrage. For the first time in the history of Mexico, four UN Special Rapporteurs condemned the attacks and called for an effective investigation to punish the perpetrators and masterminds behind the murders. The European diplomatic community also spoke up and condemned these crimes.
Unlike what happens in most cases of murders and/or attacks against human rights defenders in Mexico, where those responsible for committing the crimes are never identified, Jyri’s and Bety’s attackers’ names, faces, and addresses have been confirmed. However, despite this and despite the fact that a judge in Oaxaca issued arrest warrants against the perpetrators over two years ago, they still have not been arrested.
Read complete public letter on PBI Mexico
