Today’s announcement by the Attorney General Murillo Karam, that the 43 students could have been killed, burned and dumped in a river, comes after weeks of speculation over the fate of the young men. However, lines of investigation into the enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings have been limited and incomplete, with officials failing to challenge the entrenched collusion between the state and the organised crime which underlies these grave violations of human rights, said Amnesty International today.

“Tragically, the enforced disappearance of these student teachers is just the latest in a long line of horrors to have befallen Guerrero state, and the rest of the country. The warning signs of corruption and violence have been there for all to see for years, and those that negligently ignored them are themselves complicit in this tragedy,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director of Amnesty International.

In the most comprehensive accounting to date of the disappearances of the students, the Attorney General Murillo has failed to recognize that this is a state crime and not an isolated incident. He also failed to mention the negligence and complicity of the state in investigating a series of allegations against the mayor of Iguala and the failure to hold accountable the federal and local police involved in the killing and torture of other Ayotzinapa students in 2011.

The mayor of Iguala, who is the main suspect in the enforced disappearance of the students, has long been suspected of corruption and serious crimes. In June 2013 a survivor of an attack on eight local activists, in which three people died, reported that the mayor had participated directly in the murders. The survivor provided a detailed account which was given to a public notary due to fears over police collusion. However the state prosecutor failed to undertake any investigation into the claims.

Despite evidence implicating the mayor, the investigation was reportedly closed in May 2014.

In December 2011 authorities failed to hold federal and state police officials accountable for the killing of two Ayotzinapa students and the torture and other ill-treatment of 20 others.

“Any investigation by the Attorney General now is coming years too late. If thorough investigations had been taken into allegations against Iguala’s mayor and the federal and local police when other serious human rights violations occurred, perhaps we would not have seen these terrible murders and enforced disappearances,” said Erika Guevara.

The families of the students have also announced that they do not trust authorities and the information presented by the Attorney General until is not backed up with scientific evidence by the Argentinean forensic experts and the acknowledgement of the responsibility of the state. They reminded President Peña Nieto of his commitments with the parents and with society.

Amnesty International regrets that in spite of the commitments expressed by President Peña Nieto, his actions demonstrate the contrary. The Mexican government has not accepted the international technical assistance offered by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Moreover, in the middle of this deep human rights crisis, the President will go into an international tour to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, showing his low interest to address the serious human rights situation in Mexico.

“The authorities must bring to justice all those working at state and federal level who are complicit in these grave human rights violations, as well as those who have neglected their duties in investigating these acts and addressing the long-standing human rights crisis,” concluded Guevara Rosas.

Background

In the search for the missing students, 19 mass graves were found in and around Iguala. Some 74 people have been detained so far in a case that started when local police attacked student teachers on 26 September, killing six people and disappearing 43 students.