Thomas Hughes Executive Director of Article 19 said:
ARTICLE19 is calling for a prompt, independent and effective investigation, conducted at the highest level, into the disappearance of the 43 students in Iguala, Guerrero state.
Whilst the exact cause of the disappearance is yet to be fully established, it is imperative that the Mexican authorities must uphold their obligations under international human rights law.
The authorities must also ensure those who have taken to the streets to demand justice in this case are not impeded in their right to protest in anyway.
In addition, the right to know the truth regarding violations of human rights, such as forced disappearance, is an obligation thatthe State must satisfy, for both the families of the victims and society in general.
However, this shocking enforced disappearance and killing of students is not just one incident, but is only the latest occurrence in a series of human rights abuses in Iguala, and across Mexico. Opacity breeds impunity. The authorities must uphold their obligations to protect human rights and in case of violations undertake effective investigation, and proper judicial process to remedy them. Only then will such horrific incidents become a thing of the past.”