Ouders vermoorde Finse activitist vragen EU te helpen bij oplossen moordzaak (en)

Members of the EP Human Rights Subcommittee heard an appeal on Monday from the parents of Finnish activist Jyri Jaakkola, who was killed in April while on a humanitarian convoy in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. They urged the Mexican authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, asked for the investigation to be speeded up and called for an adequate witness protection programme to be put in place.

The parents, Eeva-Leena and Raimo Jaakkola, had been invited to speak at a public hearing on human rights in Mexico, with a focus on the situation in Oaxaca. "Our son wanted to promote peace and justice for the people of Mexico" said Eeva-Leena Jaakkola. The parents voiced concern over the progress of the murder investigation, as well as the lack of protection for witnesses and survivors. "We hope the EU will do everything so that the case is properly investigated and brought to trial", she added.

Ending impunity and protecting survivors and victims

Following her mission to Mexico in July, together with MEP Franziska Keller i (Greens/EFA, DE), Satu Hassi i (Greens/EFA, FI) emphasised the importance of protection for witnesses and survivors: "Survivors have experienced being followed as if they were suspects and not victims of a crime", she said.

"The climate of impunity keeps the violence continuing" said David Peña, the Mexican attorney following the Jaakkola case. Echoing Satu Hassi's concerns, he said "We have repeatedly called for the protection of witnesses of the events but so far have achieved nothing." Around 70% of the investigation into the case had been done by the victims' lawyers and not by the prosecutor's office, he said, adding that violence in Mexico had a clear political dimension, as a result of which criminals went unpunished. There had been 26 murders in the state of Oaxaca this year and so far none had been punished. 

Mexico's commitment to human rights

Mexico was represented at the hearing by Alejandro Negrin, in charge of human rights and democracy at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "We want to break the cycle of impunity, it can no longer continue (...) We will do everything so that the perpetrators of the murders are brought to justice", he said.

He also mentioned that in the Jaakkola case the state of Oaxaca was responsible but that consideration was being given to whether the Federal Prosecutor's Office should become involved again in order to advance the investigation.

Markus Ferber (EPP, DE), vice-chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee, assured the Members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights that the present case, as well as the general human rights situation in Mexico, "will be raised very emphatically" during the upcoming meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee to be held at the end of November. 

José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra i (EPP, ES) welcomed the positive and constructive approach of the Mexican partners in implementing reforms and mentioned that President Calderon's initiative to fight drug traffickers had already produced some results.

Background information

Jyri Jaakkola was a Finnish human rights activist. While on his way as a human rights observer to San Juan Copala, a village of Trique indigenous people that has declared itself autonomous, he was shot dead by a paramilitary organization on 27 April 2010. Another person was also shot dead and more than ten people wounded.