2006 Civil Unrest in San Salvador Atenco - National Human Rights Commission Report

National Human Rights Commission Report

On 16 October 2006, National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) President José Luis Soberanes Fernández published the results of its five-month investigation of the case. The CNDH called the incident a "tragedy", called particular attention to the excessive use of force and firearms by state and federal authorities, and specifically found that:

  • 207 people (including ten minors) were victims of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
  • 145 were arbitrarily arrested.
  • 26 women suffered sexual assault.
  • 5 foreigners, in addition to the violence inflicted on them, were illegally expelled from the country.

In connection with these findings, the CNDH served recommendations to the federal Secretary of Public Security, Eduardo Medina Mora; the governor of the state of México, Enrique Peña Nieto; and the commissioner of the National Migration Institute, Hipólito Treviño. The contents of the recommendation included, inter alia, improved training for the security forces, due compensation for the next-of-kin of the two fatalities and for all those whose human rights were violated, and a review of the expulsion procedures applicable to foreign visitors.

The report also concluded that the violence could have been prevented through dialogue, but that "preference was given to the use of public force".

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