Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA

GHRC/USA - URGENT ACTION!

FAFG Staff and Relatives Threatened

May 30, 2007

Please See Drafted Messages Ready to Send Below!

Within the last week, the staff of the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation (FAFG), and their relatives have received various death threats and intimidations. Those threatened include Fredy Peccerelli, director of FAFG; Jose Samuel Suasnavar, deputy director; Omar Bertoni Giron, laboratory coordinator; Bianka Pecerelli, sister of Fredy and wife of Jose Suasnavar; Gianni Peccerelli, brother of Fredy; and other FAFG staff as well as other members of Fredy Peccerelli’s family. Fredy Peccerelli heads the FAFG, which works to identify people massacred and buried in mass graves by the armed forces during the internal armed conflict (1960-1996). GHRC/USA believes they are in grave danger.

On May 29 at 11:00am Omar Bertoni received a text message on his mobile phone which read ‘‘Death > your brother, sister, parents and sons will die Fredy son of” ( Muerte, van a morir tu hermano, hermana, papas y hijos Fredy hijo de ).

On May 28 Fredy Peccerelli received an email titled “Carta de Placer,” or “Letter of Pleasure,” which read: “Your days are running out you fucking REVOLUTIONARY. Today we have your sister under surveillance. She is wearing black trousers and a white shirt, it is going to be easier than we thought. The moment Omar knows that we raped her he won’t be bothered again; we will torture him until he tells us everything about the exhumations. Fredy, your turn is coming up. Anthropologists must die!”

( Los dias se estan acabando REVOLUCIONARIO de mierda. Hoy tenemos vijilada a tu hermana tiene pantalon negro y camisa blanca, va ser mas facil de lo que esperamos. El momento que Omar sepa que la violamos va valer todo, a el lo vamos a torturar hasta que nos diga todo de las exhumaciones. Fredy tu turno viene. Los ANTROPOLOGOS DEBEN MORIR! )

Immediately Fredy Peccerelli rang Bianka Pecerelli, his sister, who confirmed that she was indeed wearing black trousers and a white shirt.

Prior to this, on May 25, Fredy Peccerelli, Jose Suasnavar, Omar Bertoni and Bianka Peccerelli had all received an email titled “Carta de Saludos,” or “Greetings Letter,” which read: “I have been watching you all like an eagle; you will die in a short time. We have an order to make that fucking FAFG director suffer. All in his family are under surveillance, for a long time his shit sister has escaped from us. We did see her at the IGSS [local hospital]. She will fucking suffer for her brother. We will rape her and dismember her. Omar Giron will find her in pieces, and he will become a widow. Then he is next. We will stop him while going out; he will never imagine it. At the FAFG there will be mourning not only for Fredy’s relatives, but for other high-level members. SHIT REVOLUTIONARIES. All of you have to die our attack is in Z.12 [the Zone 12 area of Guatemala City]. The list is long but your time will come, Fredy, after killing all your family.”

(Los he vigilado como aguilas, moriran en poco tiempo tenemos un orden para hacer sufrir a ese maldito director de la fafg. Todos en su familia estan vigilados, por un largo tiempo se nos habia escapado la mierda de su hermana que si la vimos en IGSS maldita sufrira por su hermano la violaremos y descuartizaremos por pedazos la encontrara Omar Giron viuda se quedara, Luego sigue el saliendo lo etendremos nunca se lo imaginara. En el FAFG estaran de luto no solo por los parientes de Fredy, peor por otros miembres de alto rango. REVOLUCIONARIOS DE MIERDA. Todos deben morir en la Z.12 esta nuestro ataque. La lista es larga pero te llegara tu dia FREDY despues de darle muerte a toda tu familia.)

On May 24 at 2:00pm four heavily armed men on two old motorbikes without license plates forced two members of FAFG staff, driving back from a bank to the FAFG offices, to stop. They demanded the occupants’ money and guns. The two members of staff did not carry guns but handed over the money that they had just withdrawn. The men hit them in the face, threatened them not to follow, and then drove away.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The FAFG staff and some of their relatives have been subjected to numerous death threats over the last five years because of their contribution to evidence strengthening the charges brought against a former President, heads of the army, and police by the Guatemalan and Spanish courts. The government has provided police protection for a number of years. Although there has been no progress in Guatemala, a Spanish judge has issued arrest warrants and will soon visit Guatemala to take testimony from survivors. Some of the evidence in these cases is the product of FAFG’s work. The government is seeking applications from organizations to undertake the exhumation of newly discovered graves in the department of Quiche.

[This Urgent Action has been reproduced from Amnesty International Urgent Action Network (uan@aiusa.org, www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/, Phone: 202.544.0200). We appreciate their contribution! Please do not send appeals after July 11, 2007.]

TAKE ACTION HERE!

 

GHRC/USA is urging you to take action. We ask that you profess your solidarity with FAFG’s staff and relatives as they strive to identify people massacred and buried in mass graves by the military during the war and gather evidence for legal cases against those responsible . Please denounce these threats and acts of intimidation by sending a fax (if someone answers say ''tono de fax por favor''), or a hand written letter to the Guatemalan Attorney General and the Minister of the Interior:

• Expressing grave concern for the safety of Fredy Peccerelli, his colleagues Jose Suasnavar and Omar Bertoni, his relatives Bianka Peccerelli and Gianni Peccerelli, and other FAFG staff members and relatives;
• Calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into the death threats they have received, with the results made public and those responsible brought to justice;
• Calling on the authorities to continue to provide police protection to Fredy Peccerelli and the FAFG offices; and
• Reminding the Guatemalan authorities that human rights defenders have the right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Unless we take action today, FAFG staff members and their relatives may face future threats, acts of intimidation, and attempts on their lives. You can send your own message or send GHRC’s drafted message, pasted below. Moreover, we kindly ask that you send a copy of your fax or letter to the Guatemalan Ambassador to the US or the Guatemalan Ambassador to Canada (depending on where you reside), the FAFG, and GHRC/USA’s office at ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org - so that we may be able to thank you for taking action. Thank you for your time and solidarity with Guatemala’s human rights defenders.

DRAFTED MESSAGES READY TO SEND!

Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office:
Fiscal General de la Republica y Jefe del Ministerio Publico

Lic. Juan Luis Florido
15 avenida 15-16
Zona 1, Barrio Gerona, 8vo. Nivel
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: 011 502 2411 9124

Estimado Sr. Fiscal General / Dear Attorney General,

I write to express my grave concern about the recent threats made to the staff of Fundacion de Antropologia Forense de Guatemala (FAFG), and their relatives. I recently learned that Fredy Peccerelli, director of FAFG; Jose Samuel Suasnavar, deputy director; Omar Bertoni Giron, laboratory coordinator; Bianka Pecerelli, sister of Fredy and wife of Jose Suasnavar; Gianni Peccerelli, brother of Fredy; and other FAFG staff as well as other members of Fredy Peccerelli’s family have received numerous death threats via telephone and email within the last week. I am fearful that the lives of FAFG personnel and relatives are in imminent danger as a result of these threats and intimidations.

I ask that the Guatemalan authorities order prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into these incidents and for those responsible to be brought to justice. In addition, I urge the authorities to continue providing protection to Fredy Peccerelli and FAFG offices.

Moreover, I want to remind the Guatemalan government of its obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Please use the full extent of your influence to guarantee that thorough investigations are carried out and that FAFG’s human rights defenders and relatives are safe from future threats and attacks. I thank you for your time and attention to this letter.

Respectfully,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE

 

Minister of Interior
Adela Camacho De Torrebiarte
Ministra de Gobernacion
6a. Avenida 13-71, Zona 1,
Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
Fax: 011 502 2413 8658

Estimada Sra. Ministra / Dear Madam Minister

I write to express my grave concern about the recent threats made to the staff of Fundacion de Antropologia Forense de Guatemala (FAFG), and their relatives. I recently learned that Fredy Peccerelli, director of FAFG; Jose Samuel Suasnavar, deputy director; Omar Bertoni Giron, laboratory coordinator; Bianka Pecerelli, sister of Fredy and wife of Jose Suasnavar; Gianni Peccerelli, brother of Fredy; and other FAFG staff as well as other members of Fredy Peccerelli’s family have received numerous death threats via telephone and email within the last week. I am fearful that the lives of FAFG personnel and relatives are in imminent danger as a result of these threats and intimidations.

I ask that the Guatemalan authorities order prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into these incidents and for those responsible to be brought to justice. In addition, I urge the authorities to continue providing protection to Fredy Peccerelli and FAFG offices.

Moreover, I want to remind the Guatemalan government of its obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Please use the full extent of your influence to guarantee that thorough investigations are carried out and that FAFG’s human rights defenders and relatives are safe from future threats and attacks. I thank you for your time and attention to this letter.

Respectfully,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE

 

PLEASE SEND FAX COPIES OR CARBON COPIES TO:

Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo to US
Embassy of Guatemala
2220 R St. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 745 1908
Email: ambassador@guatemala-embassy.org

OR

Ambassador Carlos Humberto Jiménez to CANADA

Embassy of Guatemala
130 Albert Street; Suite 1010
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Tel: 1 613 233-7188
Fax: 1 613 233-0135

AND

Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation (FAFG)

Avenida Simon Canas 10-64, Zona 2
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: 011 502 2254 0882
Guatemala Human Rights Commission- USA
GHRC-USA
3321 12th St, NE
Washington, DC 20017
Fax: 202-526-4611
ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org

Home | Site Map | Contact Us

3321 12th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017

This site is maintained by the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
as a means of informing the general public of the Commission's work
on behalf of the people of Guatemala