Combating forced disappearance and torture is a basic condition for achieving the full rule of law: EPN

·        The president confirmed his unswerving commitment to human dignity and the ongoing strengthening of institutional capacities in favor of the defense of human rights. 

 “In the government, we firmly believe that directly combating forced disappearance and torture is a basic condition for ensuring the full rule of law in our country,” President Enrique Peña Nieto declared today, as he led the ceremony of the presentation of the National Human Rights Award 2015.

The president confirmed his, “Unswerving commitment to human dignity and the ongoing strengthening of institutional capacities for the defense of human rights.”

At the ceremony, held in the Adolfo López Mateos Hall of the official residence of Los Pinos, where Human Rights Day was also commemorated, President Peña Nieto signed two bills to be submitted to Congress: the General Law on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes relating to Missing Persons; and the General Law to Prevent, Investigate and Punish Crimes of Torture or Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Punishments.

The president explained that the proposed General Law on the Disappearance of Persons, “Will establish a new public policy focusing on their search and location, for which it proposes the creation of four basic instruments:

FIRST: The National Search System, which ensures the immediate mobilization of public safety and law enforcement agencies and specialized personnel in the event that a disappearance is reported. Its aim is to ensure a broad, swift, timely institutional response in the hours following the disappearance, the most critical time for finding or providing assistance to the victims of this crime. 

SECOND: The National Registry of Missing and Not Found Persons. “On the basis of this database, relatives will be able to track their missing person's report. This is a record with updated information provided by hospitals, detention centers and forensic medical services, both federal and local.

THIRD: The National Forensic Registry, which will use the latest advances in science and technology to facilitate the location and identification of missing persons.”

FOURTH: The National Citizens' Council, composed of human rights defenders, experts and relatives of the victims, whose function is to advise and give opinions to the National Search System.

Regarding the bill for the General Law against Torture, the president explained that, “It has a very clear goal: eradicate this practice.” To end this and other forms of cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment, the bill seeks to create the following mechanisms:

FIRST: Specialized Research Units, at both the federal and state level, to more effectively fight this crime.

SECOND: The National Prevention Mechanism, “Comprising the National Commission of Human Rights and state ombudsmen, in which representatives of international organizations, civil society and academics will participate. Its mission will be of the utmost importance: to implement international best practices to prevent acts of this nature.”

THIRD: The National Registry of Crimes of Torture and other Inhumane and Degrading Treatment, consisting of databases from the Attorney General's Office and the Local Attorney General’s Offices. “This registry will provide the public with key information to assess progress in this national effort against torture.”

President Peña Nieto said that the two bills, “Are the result of an extensive consultation process involving lawmakers, authorities, academics, experts, civil society organizations, victims’ representatives and citizens in general.”

These initiatives, he said, were also, “Enhanced by the valuable contributions of international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the International Red Cross Committee.”

He said that if approved, “For the first time ever, they would define the capacities and forms of coordination between the three levels of government, which will be key to effectively combating these unacceptable violations of fundamental rights . They will also be considered permanent crimes, meaning that they will never expire and will be officially prosecuted,” he said.

“On the basis of these new laws, these behaviors will be investigated, prosecuted and punished on the basis of a standardized, country-wide legal framework,” he explained.

After expressing, as president, “My deepest thanks to each and every one of the participants of this open, pluralistic exercise on behalf of human rights, the president said that, “This is a government that is always prepared to listen to the voice, ideas and proposals of society, and for them to be translated into bills and actions that will benefit all Mexicans.”

At the event, the president presented the National Human Rights Prize 2015 to Sister Consuelo Morales, with whom he met prior to the event, for her “Tireless work in defense of the victims and the search for missing persons.”

For two decades, he said, Sister Consuelo Morales in Nuevo Leon, “Has given a voice to the disadvantaged and accompanied them in their demand for justice, and has also proposed fundamental solutions.”

The president also awarded honorable mention to Sandra Jimenez Loza, “For her commitment to defending the rights of children and adolescents and persons with disabilities.”

At the end of the event, a group of parents and relatives of missing persons in Nuevo León asked to speak to the president. The president approached them and talked with them for about five minutes.

CIVIL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS PERFORM THEIR TASK WITH COMMITMENT, HUMANISTIC CONVICTION, integrity, courage and love for MEXICO: LUIS RAÚL GONZÁLEZ PÉREZ

President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), Luis Raúl González Pérez, said that the recognition, defense and promotion of fundamental rights and the full observance of the democratic rule of law are the only way to achieving justice for both individuals and society.

He said that the work of civil and human rights defenders is performed with commitment, humanistic conviction, integrity, courage and love for Mexico, which should be valued by institutions and the rest of society. He said that most of the substantive progress that has taken place in our country in the field of fundamental rights could not be understood without their participation, as well as that of social organizations.

“This work pays off. Today we recognize all those who defend and promote human rights in our country, when we give Consuelo Gloría Morales Elizondo the National Human Rights Prize 2015 and confer honorable mention on Sandra Jiménez Loza for her work, commitment and outstanding career,” he said.

He mentioned the experience and the work carried out for over 22 years by Consuelo Morales in addressing the problem of missing persons, especially in the state of Nuevo León, “As well as in prisons, which has been an inspiration and example for many people, and achieved concrete results for assisting and relieving the pain and despair of many Mexicans who have been the victims of abuse of power or for whom justice has only been a wish.”

He also congratulated Sandra Jiménez Loza, “Who, in addition to creating a life-long testimonial and serving as an example of what will, the desire to fight and determination can achieve on behalf of children and adolescents in Mexico, has helped to highlight and address the situation faced by a large number of children and adolescents due to trafficking, the lack of law and order, violence, exclusion, the lack of quality education, opportunities, and effective access to justice. “

SISTER CONSUELO MORALES RECEIVES NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD 2015

Winner of the National Human Rights Award 2015 Sister Consuelo Morales Elizondo, the director of the civil association Citizens in Support of Human Rights (CADHAC), said that she received it, “On the understanding that it is essentially a recognition of the victims CADHAC accompanies, who, with their unfailing love and immense desire for justice, promote the small efforts to perform a task that sometimes seems to overwhelm us in the troubled Mexico we live in.”

“As CADHAC, we are especially grateful to the National Human Rights Commission, its president and its council for this recognition that we welcome as a further sign of the necessary process of renewal undertaken by this administration, a process we hope will continue translating into greater proximity with civil society and victims,” she said.