Pena Nieto Introduces Two New Bills to Combat Disappearances and Torture Latin American Herald Tribune
go to original December 11, 2015

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto sent two new bills to the Congress Thursday, one on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes concerning Missing Persons and the other to Prevent, Investigate and Punish Crimes of Torture or Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Punishments.

Listen: James Blears reports that a new nationwide missing persons registry is being established. (Vatican Radio)

Affirming his "strong and determined" commitment on International Human Rights Day, Peña Nieto urged the importance of working together "as one" underlining the need to strengthen the regulatory framework to punish conduct that disrespects fundamental human rights.

In this context, he introduced two bills which will allow investigation, pursuit and prosecution of those responsible for disappearances and torture, crimes which can "never expire and will be officially prosecuted."

Peña Nieto explained that the bill on disappearance "will establish a new public policy focusing on their search and location, for which it proposes the creation of four basic instruments."

The first is a National Search System aimed at ensuring "broad, swift, timely institutional response in the hours following the disappearance, the most critical time for finding or providing assistance to the victims of this crime" in a country where more than 25,000 are missing.

It also provides for the creation of a National Registry of Missing and Not Found Persons with "updated information provided by hospitals, detention centers and forensic medical services, both federal and local" which will help affected families follow up their complaints.

A National Forensic Registry will also be set up which will use latest advances in science and technology to help locating and identifying missing persons.

Read the rest at Latin American Herald Tribune

Photo: ABC News

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