Human Rights Commission: Yurécuaro Self-Defense Leader Tortured by police

Big thanks to reader "Pepe" for the translation of this article for Borderland Beat

Police Brutally tortured the autodefensa leader, 

in an attempt to coerce a  confession

The Michoacán State Human Rights Commission concluded its investigation of allegations of torture on the part state officials against Enrique Hernández Saucedo, leader of the self-defense groups in Yurécuaro, Michoacán.

After several public complaints, the Commission began an investigation into whether “ there is evidence indicating torture” in the arrest of the self-defense leader accused of being the principal conspirator in the murder of Gustavo Garibay García, former mayor of Tanhuato. 

Last Monday, the 31^st of March, Alfredo Castillo Cervantes, the Commissioner for Public Safety in Michoacán, alleged that the murder of the Mayor of Tanhuato, was orchestrated by the leader of the self-defense groups in Yurécuaro, Enrique Hernández.

In a press conference, Castillo stated when Hernández was first questioned by state authorities, he denied his involvement in the murder of the mayor, but he was later arrested.

Later, state officials arrested 19 other members of the self-defense group in Yurécuaro, four of whom “confessed” to the murder of the mayor and stated that Enrique Hernández ordered the murder.

In an interview, Lorenzo Corro Díaz, with the State Human Rights Commission, stated that after a medical review conducted by the Commission, experts found evidence of physical torture, beatings and asphyxiation.

Moreover, according to the statement given to the Commission by Hernández, three other colleagues were similarly tortured, and one died as a result of beating and a gunshot wound while in custody.

 

Corro Díaz went on to state that Hernández described the following: 

After refusing to say what the police wanted, “he was taken to a closed van, where they placed a plastic bag over his head and sealed it around his neck.  They later poured water over his head and repeatedly struck his ears with their open palms and beat him throughout his body.”

This beating took place from Saturday around noon the 29^th of March into the following Sunday.  His wounds from the torture and beating were not treated until Monday, the 31^st, when he was placed in the prison just outside Morelia.

“He said they had been looking for him for the murder of the mayor of Tanhuato  and they called someone known as ‘El Yanki’ who works for the state police.”

This guy (El Yanki), stated Hernández, asked him to come for an interview with the state Attorney General, “but when I got there, I saw three other self-defense members who had been badly beaten, with signs of torture, who said they had been forced to confess.” 

“El Yanki” told Hernández he had to get results because he had made a contract with a state security official.

Corro Díaz concluded; “Our medical specialists found evidence of torture exactly as Hernández described.”

“Our doctor found evidence of torture in the respiratory system and a high level of inflammation in the inner ears, so bad that we expect he’ll lose most of his sense of hearing.  Moreover, we found bruises throughout his body consistent with the torture described.”

At this time the formal investigation by the Commission is on hold because Hernández wants to first talk to his lawyer before proceeding with the complaint.

Nonetheless the complaint is open and there’s hope it will go forward because, as Corro Díaz stated, torture “weakens the society’s confidence in the system of justice.”

Source: Michoacán tres punto cero