Source: Proceso via MXporFC
August 12, 2014
Translation: Rosie Z.
Wallace case: Anabel Hernandez reports threats against her
Journalist Anabel Hernandez in a letter sent to Laura Borbolla, special prosecutor of the Attorney General’s (PGR) Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes against Journalists (FEADLE), claims that she is being subjected to reprisals and intimidation for the report in which she questions the kidnapping and murder of Isabel Miranda de Wallace’s son, Hugo Alberto Torres Miranda and/or Hugo Alberto Wallace Miranda (Proceso 1961).
The journalist emphasizes in her report that Hugo Alberto used the first birth certificate that was issued in order to apply for his Unique Population Registry Code (CURP) in 2010.
Hernandez states in her letter that the PGR’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in an abusive manner and falling outside their area of expertise, opened an investigation against her (PGR/SEIDO/UEDMS/464/2014), under the orders of Miranda de Wallace.
She indicates that Lourdes Lopez Lucho Iturbide of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Assistant Attorney General’s Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime (SEIDO) was the officer responsible for launching the preliminary investigation.
“It is obvious that opening an investigation against me was an arbitrary act committed by the federal authorities because if Maria Isabel Miranda considered my report to be defamatory, my case would have been considered a civil matter and not a criminal one. The PGR does not have expertise in investigating issues related to freedom of the press unless the issues involve violence against journalists,” argues Hernandez Garcia in her letter.
The journalist points out that even when there had already been persons who testified at the SEIDO office in regards to this case, they never summoned her or notified her.
Among them she notes is Enriqueta Cruz who was called to testify yesterday, August 11 at 10 a.m. She is the mother of Brenda Quevedo Cruz who was allegedly accused of kidnapping Miranda’s son.
“They constantly interrogated her about me and how I obtained the birth and marriage certificate of Maria Isabel Miranda Torres and Enrique Wallace dated 1978 and not 1968 as she had declared to the PGR, despite the fact that the certificates were clearly public documents found in the Civil Registry,” explains Hernandez.
She maintains that PGR agents arbitrarily detained Giel Meza, activist of the association known as Gente de Mexico por la Democracia (“People of Mexico for Democracy”) on July 16 without a subpoena.
“They took him by force to the SEIDO office, interrogated him about me and later, after intimidating him, released him,” claims Hernandez.
In her letter, the journalist demands that special prosecutor Borbolla “launch an immediate investigation into the matter which clearly involves an individual colluding with the authorities in an attempt to threaten my work as a journalist.”
Hernandez Garcia expresses that she fears for her life and her physical integrity since the alleged persons responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Hugo Alberto Wallace have stated that acts of torture were committed against them by PGR agents during their detainment or interrogation under the orders of Miranda de Wallace. She concludes that the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has corroborated these acts of torture.
“Based on my knowledge, the PGR is wrongfully investigating my case which falls outside their area of expertise. How I obtained Miranda de Wallace’s birth and marriage certificate is obviously not a crime but rather my right to exercise freedom of the press and investigative journalism. Furthermore, anyone has the right to access both documents which belong to the Federal District’s Civil Registry. In no way is this a federal crime, let alone an issue for the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. Clearly, this involves an attempt to intimidate me and prevent me from working as an investigative journalist.”
Hernandez indicates that she fears being detained upon exiting and entering the country, or being subjected to abuse, torture and forced disappearance “as Miranda Torres has done against other people by colluding with federal authorities.”
The journalist requests FEADLE’s special prosecutor to intervene immediately in the event she is arbitrarily stopped at the airport or anywhere else in order to safeguard her physical integrity and her rights.
“Given the urgency of the matter and that I will not be able to present myself before the PGR’s Special Prosecutor’s Office in order to file a formal complaint against the responsible party, as well as file a formal complaint before the CNDH for the clear abuse of authority, am rightfully requesting that this e-mail be considered a formal complaint before the PGR’s Special Prosecutor’s Office and the CNDH. I will ratify it next Thursday upon my return from my business trip,” she states.
Anabel Hernandez stresses in her letter that she is currently under the protection of the federal government and the protection mechanism for journalists since she has been a target of threats, her home was damaged and there have been alleged plots to assassinate her.
She adds as well that the UN, several EU countries and the US have raised their concerns about the increase in violence against her and her right to exercise investigative journalism professionally and ethically.
