Date: Mon, 3 Jul 1995 21:10:43 -0700 From: Abraham Bonowitz EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AMR 29/02/95 Distr: UA/SC 3 July 1995 UA 155/95 Death threats EL SALVADOR Dr Francisco CARILLO, director of FUNDASIDA and other members of FUNDASIDA, a non-governmental AIDS organization Amnesty International fears for the safety of the director and staff of FUNDASIDA, a non-governmental AIDS organization in San Salvador, after receiving reports that they have been subjected to a series of death threats. On 24 June 1995 three armed men reportedly raided the FUNDASIDA offices, looking for its director, Dr Francisco Carillo. He was not there, but the three men told those who were, including 10 youngsters taking part in a workshop on HIV prevention, three health workers and a secretary, that they wanted to see Dr Carillo "because he owes us something and we are going to kill him". The men then left, allegedly taking with them a television set, a personal computer, a typewriter, as well as papers and confidential documents. On 26 June, the telephonist at FUNDASIDA is reported to have received a phone call, in which the caller asked her: "Do you want to die?... then, prepare yourselves, today at 3pm". Dr. Carillo has also received threatening phone calls at his home. These usually take place after midnight and although no one speaks, the caller remains on the line for a few moments and then hangs up. The last reported call was in the early hours of 29 June. The threats and raid have been reported to the police and to the Commission of Human Rights. BACKGROUND INFORMATION During October and November 1994, AIDS worker Wilfredo Valencia Palacios, Deputy Director of the Oscar Romero AIDS Project in El Salvador, was threatened with death in the street by unidentified armed men, believed to belong to an anti-homosexual death squad (see El Salvador: Aids worker in danger, AMR 29/13/94, December 1994). Death squads, largely made up of police and military personnel, were an instrument of large-scale governmental repression against the opposition during El Salvador's armed conflict. Although the end of the conflict in 1992 brought radical reforms to the police and army, clandestine structures carrying out death squad- style killings appear to have persisted. The Grupo Conjunto, a UN- appointed commission set up to investigate politically-motivated activities of illegal armed groups, presented its report in July 1994. The Grupo Conjunto stated that, although it had concluded its mission in El Salvador, the death-squad chapter was still not closed and it reminded the authorities of its responsibility to continue investigating and bringing to justice those involved in such activities. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/airmail letters either in Spanish or in your own language: - expressing concern at the death threats received by members of FUNDASIDA, in particular those made against Dr. Francisco Carillo, its director, following a raid of their offices by three armed men on 24 June 1995; - requesting that measures be taken to guarantee the safety of Dr Francisco Carillo, other members of FUNDASIDA and all those working with AIDS groups in the country; - calling on the authorities to make clear their condemnation of the threats and urging a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation and that those found responsible are brought to justice; - asking what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the Grupo Conjunto with regard to the eradication of the "death squad"-style groups. APPEALS TO President of the Republic S.E. Dr Armando Calderon Sol [Salutation: Sr Presidente/Dear President] Presidente de la Republica, Casa Presidencial, San Salvador, El Salvador Telegrams: Presidente Calderon Sol, San Salvador, El Salvador Telexes: 30344 RS SAL Faxes: +503 271-2947 / 271-1334 / 221-4532 National Counsel for the Defense of Human Rights Dr. Carlos M. Molina Fonseca [Salutation: Sr Procurador/Dear Procurator] Procurador para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos Procuraduria para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos 9a. Ave Norte y 5a. Calle Pte. Edificio AMSA, No 535 San Salvador, El Salvador Telegrams: Procurador DDHH, San Salvador, El Salvador Faxes: +503 271 2886 Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Oscar Alfredo Santamaria [Salutation: Sr Ministro/Dear Minister] Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Boulevard Manuel Enrique Araujo Km.6 San Salvador, El Salvador Telegrams: Ministro Relaciones Exteriores, San Salvador, El Salvador Faxes: +503 2 98 0334 / 98 0314 Telexes: 20179 RREE SAL PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO: Embassy of El Salvador, 5 Great James Street, London WC1 Fax: 0171 430 0484 [Please see the responses to this topic for the addresses of diplomatic representatives in other countries] AND, IF POSSIBLE, TO THE FOLLOWING: Non-governmental organization FUNDASIDA 23 Calle Pte. No 1155 San Salvador El Salvador Daily newspapers Diario Latino 23 Av. Sur N' 225 Apartado Postal 96 San Salvador, El Salvador La Prensa Grafica 3& Calle Poniente, N' 130 San Salvador, El Salvador PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send appeals after 15 August 1995. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + If you have any queries about this Urgent Action or about + + the UA scheme in general, please contact: + + Ray Mitchell + + Amnesty International British Section + + 99 - 119 Rosebery Avenue + + London EC1R 4RE email: rmitchellai@gn.apc.org + +-----------------------------------------------------------+