Venezuela
20.12.01
Urgent Interventions
Venezuela: death threats and harassment of men investigating their sons' deaths
Case VEN 201201
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Venezuela :
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has received information concerning the death threats and harassment of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco, in Caracas.
According to information received from the Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz, on 9 December 2001, an officer from the Metropolitan Police named Alí Gómez accompanied by a number of men entered the house of Roberto Tovar Pacheco, 45, in the neighbourhood of San Blas de Petare. They twice threatened him with a gun. On the same day at about 9.00pm, Alí Gómez drove in the same vehicle to the district of Dolorita vía Mariche Petare and outside the house of Marcos Esteban Mister, 46, rolled down the windows and stared menacingly at him before driving quickly away.
The two men are the fathers of the two young men killed, reportedly by members of the Metropolitan Police, on 30 June 2000. According to the reports, both men became victims of death threats and psychological torture, purportedly by the Metropolitan Police, since their decision to denounce the failure of the justice system in relation with the deaths of their sons.
The first threats came on 11 September 2000, which, despite being reported to the Intelligence division of the Metropolitan Police, the Public Prosecutor of the republic and the People’s defence, have never been followed up by the authorities. However, until today, the harassment had ceased.
According to the reports, the parents of the two boys claim that the root of the renewal of the threats is the reconstruction of the events which took place on 14 November 2001, attended by the members of the Metropolitan police present at the two boys’ hearing and the public prosecutor, Ms Irma Pazos de Fuenmayor. The reports add that in the 18 months that have passed since this hearing, the responsibility for the acts has not been established, and that the two families are ready to continue their fight to bring the case to court and to prove the responsibility of the 8 accused members of the Metropolitan police.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT shares the serious concerns voiced by the la Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz for the security and physical and psychological integrity of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Venezuelan Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco and to end their harassment;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the deaths of their children and into the above.mentioned threats in order to identify those reponsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or adminstrative sanctions stipulted by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses:
· S.E. D. Hugo Chávez Frías, Presidente de la República, Palacio de Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela. Fax .: (+58 212) 283 82 39. e-mail : venezuela@venezuela.gov.ve
· Sr. Isaías Rodríguez, Fiscal General de la República, Avenida Universidad, Esquina Pele el ojo a Misericordia, frente a Parque Carabobo. Caracas, Venezuela. Tel.: (+58 212) 509 81 34; (+58 212) 509 80 80. Fax.: (+58 212) 576 44 19 ; (+58 212) 577 21 44 ; (+58 212) 564 74 61
· Gobernador del Distrito Federal, Hernan Gruber Odremán, Tel.: (+58 212) 581 11 11
· Ministerio de Relaciones Interiores, Ministro de Relaciones Interiores y Justicia Ignacio Arcaya. Fax.: (+58 212) 862 75 16 ; (+58 212) 864 43 34 ; (+58 212) 576 87 19
· Sr. German Mundaraín, Defensor del Pueblo, Fina avenida México Plaza Morelos, edificio Defensoría de Pueblo, piso 8, frente al Ateneo de Caracas. Caracas,Venezuela. e-mail: denuncias@defensoria.gov.ve ; Tel. y Fax.: (+58 212) 575 51 03 e-mail : gmundarain @defensoria. gov.ve
· Director Henry Vivas, Comandante General de la Policía Metropolitana, Final de la Fuerzas Armadas, frente al hospital Risque. Caracas, Venezuela. Tel.: (+58 212) 552 29 31; Fax: (+58 212) 551 29 31
· Comandante Manuel Antonio Sotillo, Director Policía Municipal de Sucre, Parte Alta de la Urbina, calle El Samán, Tel. : (+58 212) 242 22 11
· Alcalde José Vicente Rancel Avalos, Municipio de Sucre, Zona colonial de Petare, Palacio Municipal, piso 01, Despacho municipal, frente a la Plaza de Sucre. Tel.: (+58 212) 272 33 60; Fax: (+58 212) 271 18 67
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of Venezuela in your country.
Geneva, 20 December 2001
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Venezuela :
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has received information concerning the death threats and harassment of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco, in Caracas.
According to information received from the Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz, on 9 December 2001, an officer from the Metropolitan Police named Alí Gómez accompanied by a number of men entered the house of Roberto Tovar Pacheco, 45, in the neighbourhood of San Blas de Petare. They twice threatened him with a gun. On the same day at about 9.00pm, Alí Gómez drove in the same vehicle to the district of Dolorita vía Mariche Petare and outside the house of Marcos Esteban Mister, 46, rolled down the windows and stared menacingly at him before driving quickly away.
The two men are the fathers of the two young men killed, reportedly by members of the Metropolitan Police, on 30 June 2000. According to the reports, both men became victims of death threats and psychological torture, purportedly by the Metropolitan Police, since their decision to denounce the failure of the justice system in relation with the deaths of their sons.
The first threats came on 11 September 2000, which, despite being reported to the Intelligence division of the Metropolitan Police, the Public Prosecutor of the republic and the People’s defence, have never been followed up by the authorities. However, until today, the harassment had ceased.
According to the reports, the parents of the two boys claim that the root of the renewal of the threats is the reconstruction of the events which took place on 14 November 2001, attended by the members of the Metropolitan police present at the two boys’ hearing and the public prosecutor, Ms Irma Pazos de Fuenmayor. The reports add that in the 18 months that have passed since this hearing, the responsibility for the acts has not been established, and that the two families are ready to continue their fight to bring the case to court and to prove the responsibility of the 8 accused members of the Metropolitan police.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT shares the serious concerns voiced by the la Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz for the security and physical and psychological integrity of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco.
Requested Action:
Please write to the Venezuelan Authorities urging them to:
i. take all measures necessary to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Marcos Esteban Mister and Mr Roberto Tovar Pacheco and to end their harassment;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the deaths of their children and into the above.mentioned threats in order to identify those reponsible, bring them to justice and apply the civil, penal or adminstrative sanctions stipulted by law;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental liberties in all the country in accordance with national law and international human rights norms.
Addresses:
· S.E. D. Hugo Chávez Frías, Presidente de la República, Palacio de Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela. Fax .: (+58 212) 283 82 39. e-mail : venezuela@venezuela.gov.ve
· Sr. Isaías Rodríguez, Fiscal General de la República, Avenida Universidad, Esquina Pele el ojo a Misericordia, frente a Parque Carabobo. Caracas, Venezuela. Tel.: (+58 212) 509 81 34; (+58 212) 509 80 80. Fax.: (+58 212) 576 44 19 ; (+58 212) 577 21 44 ; (+58 212) 564 74 61
· Gobernador del Distrito Federal, Hernan Gruber Odremán, Tel.: (+58 212) 581 11 11
· Ministerio de Relaciones Interiores, Ministro de Relaciones Interiores y Justicia Ignacio Arcaya. Fax.: (+58 212) 862 75 16 ; (+58 212) 864 43 34 ; (+58 212) 576 87 19
· Sr. German Mundaraín, Defensor del Pueblo, Fina avenida México Plaza Morelos, edificio Defensoría de Pueblo, piso 8, frente al Ateneo de Caracas. Caracas,Venezuela. e-mail: denuncias@defensoria.gov.ve ; Tel. y Fax.: (+58 212) 575 51 03 e-mail : gmundarain @defensoria. gov.ve
· Director Henry Vivas, Comandante General de la Policía Metropolitana, Final de la Fuerzas Armadas, frente al hospital Risque. Caracas, Venezuela. Tel.: (+58 212) 552 29 31; Fax: (+58 212) 551 29 31
· Comandante Manuel Antonio Sotillo, Director Policía Municipal de Sucre, Parte Alta de la Urbina, calle El Samán, Tel. : (+58 212) 242 22 11
· Alcalde José Vicente Rancel Avalos, Municipio de Sucre, Zona colonial de Petare, Palacio Municipal, piso 01, Despacho municipal, frente a la Plaza de Sucre. Tel.: (+58 212) 272 33 60; Fax: (+58 212) 271 18 67
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of Venezuela in your country.
Geneva, 20 December 2001
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.