On Thursday, October 15, in coordination with several other international human rights organizations, DPLF sent an expert letter to President Peña Nieto of Mexico urging him to implement the recommendations of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI, for its name in Spanish). The GIEI was formed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in November 2014 through an agreement with the Mexican government and the representatives and families of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College who were victims of forced disappearance in September 2014. This expert letter highlights a number of recommendations by the GIEI, including the need to continue to search for the disappeared students and to re-orient the lines of investigation on the motive for the crime and the possible involvement of state actors.

In addition, DPLF advocates for the government of Mexico to implement the GIEI’s recommendations regarding the independence of the judiciary. For justice to be served in the Ayotzinapa case, the government must ensure the impartiality and independence of justice sector officials involved in all legal procedures which seek accountability for the disappearances. This includes a duty to guarantee the principle of separation of powers so that judges are free from political pressures.

The expert letter was signed by academics and civil society leaders from around the world.