Front Line has learned of serious ongoing death threats against human rights defender, Professor Agustín Estrada Negrete, a member of the human rights organisation Agenda LGBT which works to promote and protect the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Mexico. Agustín Estrada Negrete is a teacher who, in May 2009, was dismissed from his position as Director of a school, Centro de Atención Múltiple, for children with learning disabilities in Mexico State. On 25 May 2009 Front Line reported Agustín Estrada Negrete's dismissal and his arrest on public order offences, as well as the serious physical and sexual abuse he suffered whilst in detention. Since then he has faced serious ongoing death threats and attacks.

Further Information

On 22 November 2009 unknown individuals spray-painted the wall beside Agustín Estrada Negrete's sister's home with messages saying “Agustín vete, vas a morir putato” (Agustín leave, you are going to die whore). Previously, on the night of the 22 of September 2009, Agustín Estrada Negrete was returning from a meeting in Toluca with officials of the Secretary of Public Education, and was travelling to Ecatepec de Morelos when he was attacked. At approximately 9.00pm, Agustín Estrada Negrete got out of the bus in which he had travelled to Ecatepec in Cacamaxi street to walk to his mother's house. He was passing through a deserted street when he noticed a cherry-coloured car which approached silently and followed him for several metres. When the persons inside the car realised that he had noticed them, they overtook him and then stopped at the corner approximately 30 metres in front of him and began to blow the horn.

When Agustín Estrada Negrete reached the corner, two other unidentified people arrived from another direction, wearing white clothes with a green stripe, a characteristic uniform of the state police in Mexico State. They approached Agustín Estrada Negrete, shouted “que no debió ir a Toluca” (“you shouldn't have gone to Toluca ”) and one of them grabbed his t-shirt with his right hand, while with his left hand he stabbed him in at the top of the abdomen with a Stanley knife. Agustín Estrada Negrete pulled his rucksack between his body and the knife to protect himself, and he avoided injury when the blade stuck in his jacket. The attacker pushed Agustín Estrada Negrete who fell onto his left leg, and the attacker stepped down hard on his stomach. The other person kept watch to see if anyone was approaching and shouted abuse at Augstín Estrada Negrete, later approaching as he lay on the ground and kicking him. When two people passed by on the street, the attackers left. They turned the corner onto Alcouhuacan street, where they passed by some seconds after a patrol of the State Security Agency (ASE - la Agencia de Seguridad Estatal).

The passers-by helped Agustín Estrada Negrete and took him to his mother's house where he received some medical attention and stayed the night. The following day he reported the incident to the Public Ministry of Ecatepec, where they refused to hear his complaint and closed the door when they saw him arriving. On the night of the 23 September, Agustín Estrada Negrete went to the San Patricio Hospital in Mexico City, where he was diagnosed with bruising of the pelvis.

This incident follows several previous threats against Agustín Estrada Negrete. On 18 June 2009, he received an anonymous phone call from a private number in which he was warned to stop making public reports of his treatment by the authorities, if he was interested in staying alive. The following day at approximately 3.00pm, he received several death threats from unknown persons who, after repeating the same threats, told him: “pinche maricón de mierda, ya llevas dos encierros. ¿Quieres más? Te vamos a partir la madre!” (F**king fag s**t, you've already had two close encounters . You want more? We're going to get you”).

On the 11, 12, 13 and 14 of May 2009, shortly after his release from prison, Agustín Estrada Negrete observed persons near his home who were accompanied by two patrols from the ASE. They kept him under surveillance, and on several occasions stopped passers-by or knocked on his neighbours' doors to ask, “Have you seen Prof. Agustín because he lives in this house, right? Where can we find him? He won't get off that easy (“¿Han visto al Maestro Agustín, porque vive en esta casa verdad? ¿Donde lo encontremos? No se la va a acabar”).

The threats against Agustín Estrada Negrete have been accompanied by the intimidation of those who support his case, particularly the parents of some of his former pupils, who have supported him in his efforts to be reinstated to his position as Director of the school. On 18 May 2009, a number of parents of former students went to the homes of other parents who had supported Agustín Estrada Negrete and told them he would be killed if he continued with his complaint. In July 2009, the authorities sought arrest warrants for Prof. Estrada, his sister, three teachers from his school and 13 mothers of his former pupils on charges of the illegal occupation of property based upon the protest that they had staged outside the Government of the State of Mexico in Toluca in relation to Agustín Estrada Negrete's dismissal. On 21 July, Agustín Estrada Negrete was arrested on foot of that warrant and detained at the Social Rehabilitation Centre in Chiconahutla, before being released on bail the next day. A criminal case is currently being prepared against the other persons mentioned above.

Since his arrest in May 2009, Agustín Estrada Negrete has filed complaints about the aforementioned violations at the Human Rights Commission of Mexico, the Public Ministry of Chiconahutla and the General Prosecutor of Justice, amongst others, but he has yet to receive any response.

Front Line believes that the threats against Agustín Estrada Negrete and the intimidation of those supporting him is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights and his membership of Agenda LGBT. Front Line sees this as part of a pattern of ongoing intimidation of human rights defenders in Mexico, and is seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Agustín Estrada Negrete.

Front Line urges the Mexican authorities to:

1. Carry out an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into the death threats and attacks against Agustín Estrada Negrete, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

2. Immediately take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Agustín Estrada Negrete, in particular with a view to adequate and effective security measures; 3. Ensure that Agustín Estrada Negrete is reinstated to his job and is not further discriminated against as a result of his human rights activities;

4. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Mexico are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.