The three compañeras began by talking about their motives for filing a 
denunciation against the very system that allowed them to be tortured. 
For them, this denunciation is a tool for continuing with their 
political work. Although they don’t think justice will be done and agree 
that it is absurd to denounce official crimes before the same 
institutions that condemned them, they think it’s crucial to present the 
evidence of the abuse of their rights because all of us are at risk.
They then described the legal process that began on May 17, 2006. They 
talked about how the “justice” imparted by those at the top of the 
system meant questioning them, verbally mistreating them, and ignoring 
them. They explained, for example, that when some of the comrades 
decided to denounce the rape they were subjected to, the prosecuting 
attorney challenged the truth of their charges and forced them to go 
through physical and psychological tests to prove that they had been 
raped. They also said that while they were in prison, they were never 
attended to or informed about their situation. At times they were 
promised help that never came. When the prosecuting attorney  María 
Guadalupe Morfín (of the Special Attorney’s Office for Crimes of 
Violence against Women and Trafficking in Persons, FEVIMTRA) finally 
agreed to see them on April 29 of this year, all they got were evasive 
answers.
  Italia
With regards to the effects of their case against the Mexican 
government, they said that of the 21 policemen with charges against them 
(out of over a thousand who participated in the operation), 15 have been 
exonerated. One policeman recognized by one of the comrades was not 
charged for abuse of authority, but rather “libidinous acts” due to the 
fact that the term “oral sex” was removed from the penal code and is no 
longer considered as rape. He was sentenced to 3 years and 2 months in 
prison, but his sentence was commuted to a fine of 8499 pesos ( a little 
over $800 dollars). The other 5 were charged with abuse of authority, 
punishable by short sentences that can also be converted into small fines.
Since justice has not been done inside the country, the women have 
turned to international bodies. One important complaint, for example, 
was filed by the Spanish woman who was deported after being tortured and 
detained, Cristina Valls, before the  National Court of Spain. Under 
international law, the state has the authority to review cases in which 
crimes have gone unpunished in another country. The case is important 
for two reasons: in the first place, it has resulted in widespread media 
coverage, and second, it is work initiated by members of the Other 
Campaign (the Atenco somos Todas Collective) overseas. There are 144 
separate complaints against the municipal police, Federal Preventive 
Police (PFP), immigration authorities, prison authorities, and the 
Secretary of Public (In)security Eduardo Medina Mora; the trial could 
last 4 years.
  Norma
The compañeras explained that the 11 Mexican women who have filed 
charges are working with two organizations: the Miguel Agustín Pro 
Juárez Center for Human Rights and the Center for Justice and 
International Law (CEJIL). Both institutions are working under the 
following concepts: the crime is not rape, but sexualized torture, and 
the women were not mistreated, but abused. The following legal arguments 
are being used: the right to physical integrity, the right to integrity 
and freedom, the right to access to justice, the right to equality and 
absence of discrimination, and the right to privacy. The proceedings 
could last from 8 to 13 years, but the women are willing to persist.
  Mariana
The women also denounced the harassment they are currently subjected to 
(telephone threats and arbitrary arrests), as well as the threats 
against the political prisoner  María Patricia Romero, who is now being 
threatened inside the  Molino de las Flores prison.
The three comrades made several things very clear. One is that they 
don’t see themselves as mere victims, but also as organized compañeras 
who are participating politically. Another is that they see their case 
as part of a larger organizational effort that they want to build and 
coordinate with other collectives, organizations, and individuals. And 
lastly, that they will not give up until they’ve reached their goals.
Atenco: Denunciation before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Today May 21, 2008 in Mexico City Norma Aide Jimenez, Mariana Selvas, 
and Italia Mendez, former Atenco political prisoners , gave a talk about 
their denunciation against the Mexican government that they’ve filed 
with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and about the need to 
use their experience as a tool for struggle and resistance in the Other 
Campaign.
The three compañeras began by talking about their motives for filing a 
denunciation against the very system that allowed them to be tortured. 
For them, this denunciation is a tool for continuing with their 
political work. Although they don’t think justice will be done and agree 
that it is absurd to denounce official crimes before the same 
institutions that condemned them, they think it’s crucial to present the 
evidence of the abuse of their rights because all of us are at risk.
They then described the legal process that began on May 17, 2006. They 
talked about how the “justice” imparted by those at the top of the 
system meant questioning them, verbally mistreating them, and ignoring 
them. They explained, for example, that when some of the comrades 
decided to denounce the rape they were subjected to, the prosecuting 
attorney challenged the truth of their charges and forced them to go 
through physical and psychological tests to prove that they had been 
raped. They also said that while they were in prison, they were never 
attended to or informed about their situation. At times they were 
promised help that never came. When the prosecuting attorney  María 
Guadalupe Morfín (of the Special Attorney’s Office for Crimes of 
Violence against Women and Trafficking in Persons, FEVIMTRA) finally 
agreed to see them on April 29 of this year, all they got were evasive 
answers.

With regards to the effects of their case against the Mexican 
government, they said that of the 21 policemen with charges against them 
(out of over a thousand who participated in the operation), 15 have been 
exonerated. One policeman recognized by one of the comrades was not 
charged for abuse of authority, but rather “libidinous acts” due to the 
fact that the term “oral sex” was removed from the penal code and is no 
longer considered as rape. He was sentenced to 3 years and 2 months in 
prison, but his sentence was commuted to a fine of 8499 pesos ( a little 
over $800 dollars). The other 5 were charged with abuse of authority, 
punishable by short sentences that can also be converted into small fines.
Since justice has not been done inside the country, the women have 
turned to international bodies. One important complaint, for example, 
was filed by the Spanish woman who was deported after being tortured and 
detained, Cristina Valls, before the  National Court of Spain. Under 
international law, the state has the authority to review cases in which 
crimes have gone unpunished in another country. The case is important 
for two reasons: in the first place, it has resulted in widespread media 
coverage, and second, it is work initiated by members of the Other 
Campaign (the Atenco somos Todas Collective) overseas. There are 144 
separate complaints against the municipal police, Federal Preventive 
Police (PFP), immigration authorities, prison authorities, and the 
Secretary of Public (In)security Eduardo Medina Mora; the trial could 
last 4 years.

The compañeras explained that the 11 Mexican women who have filed 
charges are working with two organizations: the Miguel Agustín Pro 
Juárez Center for Human Rights and the Center for Justice and 
International Law (CEJIL). Both institutions are working under the 
following concepts: the crime is not rape, but sexualized torture, and 
the women were not mistreated, but abused. The following legal arguments 
are being used: the right to physical integrity, the right to integrity 
and freedom, the right to access to justice, the right to equality and 
absence of discrimination, and the right to privacy. The proceedings 
could last from 8 to 13 years, but the women are willing to persist.

The women also denounced the harassment they are currently subjected to 
(telephone threats and arbitrary arrests), as well as the threats 
against the political prisoner  María Patricia Romero, who is now being 
threatened inside the  Molino de las Flores prison.
The three comrades made several things very clear. One is that they 
don’t see themselves as mere victims, but also as organized compañeras 
who are participating politically. Another is that they see their case 
as part of a larger organizational effort that they want to build and 
coordinate with other collectives, organizations, and individuals. And 
lastly, that they will not give up until they’ve reached their goals.
VIDEO: "An urgent call for justice: women’s voices " part 1 | part 2 | 
part 3 |