Mexico City.- The organization Article 19, which acts as accompaniment and representative of the journalist Lydia Cacho, announced that it will challenge the change of precautionary measure granted to the former governor of Puebla Mario Marín so that he can face his trial in freedom.
In a statement, the court said it would also appeal the benefit granted to the former director of the Judicial Police in Puebla, Hugo Adolfo Karam Beltrán, who on August 6 managed to continue his trial outside of prison.
“Article 19, as representatives and companions of Lydia Cacho, will be challenging both processes and we once again urge that these cases be resolved taking into account the particularities and risks existing in this particular matter.
“Lydia Cacho is still forced to live outside the country, without the security guarantees to carry out her journalistic work in Mexico,” he said.
This Saturday, the NGO reported, the hearing was held on the review of the precautionary measure for Marín, who is under trial for the crime of torture committed against Cacho.
The Second District Judge in Quintana Roo, Angélica del Carmen Ortuño, decided to revoke the justified preventive detention in which Marín has been and ordered his release under the following conditions: leaving a financial guarantee, prohibition of leaving the country, prohibition of approaching the victim, surveillance and home protection, as well as the wearing of an electronic bracelet.
“Article 19 reiterates that the release of both defendants is not an acquittal. Both remain under trial and the issuance of sentences to resolve the merits of the criminal proceedings for the crime of torture of which they are accused is pending,” he said.
The NGO indicated that, although it recognizes that pretrial detention, as a punitive State policy in hundreds of cases, can violate human rights, there are particular situations such as that of Cacho, in which it is necessary to keep the alleged perpetrators in prison.
“In the current case, Lydia Cacho’s defense has presented a series of evidence that proves not only the possible risks of the defendant fleeing, but also the risks to the victim, a female journalist who was a victim of torture,” he said.
Article 19 indicated that Mexico is considered one of the most dangerous countries for practicing journalism, with 167 journalists killed and 31 missing.
The crimes against Marín occurred in 2005, when the Puebla Police arrested Cacho in Cancún with an arrest warrant for the crimes of defamation and slander, the origin of which was a criminal complaint by businessman Kamel Nacif Borge, known as “The King of Denim.”
The journalist was transferred from Cancún to Puebla, a journey during which she was allegedly tortured. Mario Marín was then governor of Puebla and Hugo Adolfo Karam Beltrán was the head of the State Judicial Police.
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