IACHR Says Suspects in Ayotzinapa Missing Students Case Claim Torture Agence France-Presse
go to original May 11, 2015

People demonstrate for justice in the case of the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa teachers training college in Chilpancingo, Guerrero. (Reuters)

Suspects detained in the disappearances and alleged slaughter of 43 students in Mexico claim they were tortured by authorities, allegations that could harm their trial, human rights experts said Monday.

The envoys of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights who are in Mexico to conduct an independent investigation said they interviewed 16 of the more than 100 suspects arrested in the case.

Of the 16 suspects, "a relatively large group" claimed they were mistreated or tortured following their arrests, Spanish psychologist and commission expert Carlos Beristain told reporters.

Around 10 official complaints have been lodged with Mexico`s National Human Rights Commission, he said.

Beristain said the allegations must be thoroughly reviewed because, if the rights to suspects were not respected, "it would be very negative for the process and it would have legal consequences."

The regional commission launched its own investigation in March following an agreement between the government and parents of the missing students, who reject the authorities` conclusions in the case.

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