Forced disappearances

“As a collective, we want to turn our pain into rights” – Yanette Bautista of the “Nydia Erika Bautista” Foundation

Today, October 23, the National Day of Recognition of Women Searchers of Victims of Forced Disappearance is commemorated in Colombia. On this day, Amnesty International has amplified the voice of Yanette Bautista, whose sister Nydia was forcibly disappeared in 1987. A key excerpt from Yanette’s testimony in Rolling Stone magazine Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico accompanies the 10th anniversary march in Mexico City seeking truth and justice for the Ayotzinapa 43

PBI-Mexico has posted: “#Ayotzinapa10 years September 26th marked 10 years since the disappearance of the 43 students from #Ayotzinapa. PBI accompanies the march for truth, justice, and an end to widespread impunity in cases of enforced disappearance in Mexico #JusticeForThe43.” Thousands marched The Associated Press also explains: “Families of the Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico speaks at the release of the “Defending Human Rights in Mexico: Silence and Impunity” report

Key excerpts from the Executive Summary of the report “Defending Human Rights in Mexico: Silence and Impunity” include: “THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED collectively by the organizations Urgent Action for Human Rights Defenders AC. (ACUDDEH), the Cerezo Committee Mexico and the National Campaign Against Forced Disappearance. The figures we present correspond Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico accompanies reconnaissance activities in Oaxaca in the continuing search for EPR members Edmundo Reyes Amaya and Gabriel Alberto Cruz Sánchez

Photo by Noticias Oaxaca NVI. This media release highlights: “The Committee of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared Until They Are Found, together with their legal representation and the accompaniment of the Cerezo Mexico Committee and Peace Brigades International, carried out this week reconnaissance activities in different spaces of the Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies Jennifer Harbury and FAMDEGUA at hearing in the case of Efrain Everardo Bámaca

PBI-Guatemala has posted: “Today #PBI accompanies Jennifer Harbury and [the Association of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared of Guatemala – FAMDEGUA] to a deposition hearing in Jennifer’s #BámacaCase. Jennifer initiated a search for the whereabouts of her husband, guerrilla leader Efrain Everardo Bámaca, beginning with his disappearance alive in Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies FAMDEGUA and Jennifer Harbury at hearing on death of Efrain Bamaca Velasquez

On July 15, PBI-Guatemala posted: “Tomorrow #PBIaccompanies Jennifer Harbury and [the Association of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared of Guatemala] FAMDEGUA Guatemala in the #Bámaca case.” The Bámaca case refers to Efrain Bamaca Velasquez, an Indigenous Maya-Mam man. In 1990, Bámaca had risen to the rank of commander of Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Kenya accompanied Kayole Community Justice Centre calls for ratification of International Convention on enforced disappearances

In its most recent e-newsletter, PBI-Kenya notes: “Perpetua Kariuki, human rights defender from Kayole Community Justice Centre, and Bernard Gachie of PBI Kenya embarked on an advocacy tour across Europe to highlight the state of human rights in Kenya. Their journey took them through Switzerland, The Netherlands and Germany, where Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Mexico accompanied relatives of Edmundo Reyes and Gabriel Cruz demand progress at 12th meeting of search commission in Mexico City

On July 3, the Cerezo Committee posted: “Nadin Reyes Amaya, family member of Edmundo Reyes Amaya, announces the upcoming arrival of family members, human rights organizations, lawyers, social and political organizations, OHCHR [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights], Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project for the 12th meeting Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Colombia accompanies CREDHOS in Guayabo as AGROPEGU and JAPROLASAN recognized in Case 08

Photo by CREDHOS. PBI-Colombia has posted: “We accompanied @credhos_paz [the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights] in the Community of Guayabo, Puerto Wilches, Santander, in workshops with victims on Restorative Justice in the framework of the JEP [Special Jurisdiction for Peace]. The JEP accredits the associations AGROPEGU [Agricultural Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies National Day Against Enforced Disappearances at media conference and former military base

Photo: PBI-Guatemala at the commemoration ceremony at the Memorial of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, Landscapes of Memory that is located at the former San Juan Comalapa military base. On June 22, PBI-Guatemala posted: “On the National Day Against #Forced Disappearance, #PBI accompanies Famdegua Guatemala [the Association of Relatives of Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago