Lægen Juan Almendares, som er direktør for Rehabiliteringscentret for torturofre i Honduras, CPTRT, er blevet truet på livet i forbindelse med et indbrud i CPTRTs hovedkvarter. Indbruddet fandt sted, mens Juan Almendares var til det årlige møde for medlemmerne af Det Internationale Rehabiliteringsråd for Torturofre (IRCT) i Tyrkiet, skriver IRCT i en pressemeddelelse mandag.
Det er ikke almindelige indbrudstyve, der er brudt ind i rehabiliteringscentret. Truslerne har tydeligvis politisk karakter og skyldes Juan Almendares og CPTRTs kamp for menneskerettighederne og indsats for at rehabilitere torturofre i det mellemamerikanske land.
IRCT er en paraplyorganisation for rehabiliteringscentre for torturofre. Gennem det danske Rehabiliterings- og Forskningscentret for Torturofre (RCT) modtager CPRTR betydelig støtte fra Danida.
Her brev rundsendt til IRCTs medlemmer om hændelsen:
Honduras: Death threats against rehabilitation centre for torture victims
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) has been advised by the rehabilitation centre for torture victims in Honduras, CPTRT (Centro de Prevencion, Tratamiento y Rehabilitación de las Víctimas de la Tortura y sus Familiares) that the director, Juan Almendares, and the staff of the centre have been subjected to death threats.
The CPTRT is an accredited member organisation of the IRCT. The new premises of the centre have been attacked. The perpetrators stole money, vandalised the office and looked into files and papers. They further wrote threats on the walls, and placed books in a cruciform on the floor of the directors office, which is perceived as a death threat against him.
The attack took place during the night between Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 October.
The death threats are considered particularly concerning in view of a similar incident in May 2003. The CPTRT was so concerned after this incident that the organisation had to shift to the new premises, which now have been subjected to similar violations.
The CPTRT is now trying to get an overview of the damages and of what has been stolen. The police are undertaking forensic investigations of the scene of crime.
It is believed that there is a connection between the attack and CPTRTs recent support to a campaign for the independence of the judiciary system from the Ministry of Security in Honduras.
10 judges wrote a letter expressing that they feel under threat, because they have defended the judicial independence in Honduras.
The CPTRT has supported attorneys who have been laid off from their positions in the Ministry of Public after raising concerns over human rights violations and corruption cases. The Director of the CPTRT wrote a letter to the President of Honduras expressing his concern and made a statement in solidarity with the attorneys.
According to the letter from the judges, human rights have been degraded, leading to violent deaths. Honduras has been considered one of the most violent countries, the judges write, referring to the antidemocratic attitude shown by the Secretary of State in the Public Security Office, Oscar Arturo Alvarez Guerrero.
The IRCT would like to ask for your help in bringing this case to the attention of the Honduran authorities, calling on them to urgently investigate the attacks and the death threats and to take all necessary steps to protect the lives of the director and the staff of CPTRT.
Brita Sydhoff
Secretary-General
IRCT
Yderligere oplysninger hos kommunikationskoordinator Tue Magnussen, RCT, 33 76 05 30 eller media coordinator Poul Struve Nielsen, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Borgergade 13, P.O. Box 2107, 1014 Copenhagen K, Tel.: 33 76 06 49, mobile: 23 34 55 09 og Fax: 33 76 05 00
