The Galway branch of Amnesty International will today, Wednesday 16 July, mark the first anniversary of a violent and tragic day in the Mexican city of Oaxaca.

On that day in 2007, thousands of people marched through the city to an event organised by the local opposition movement, the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca.

This event was the culmination of over a year of tension and popular protest, which began with a teachers' strike. There have been widespread reports of the use of excessive force and arbitrary detention of union leaders, including the firing of guns by state police at unarmed demonstrators.

In October 2006 at least four people were killed and 149 were arrested. Many of the 149 were tortured and ill-treated. The march of 16 July 2007 escalated into violence between the demonstrators and the police and more than 40 people were arrested, including six children. Testimonies of detainees detail beatings, indecent assaults on women, burning with cigarettes and shaving of the heads of some of those arrested.

43 year-old father of four Emilio Cruz suffered a brain haemorrhage, 55 year-old teacher Eliel Gonzalez was hospitalised for two weeks and fellow teacher Raymundo Torres suffered serious head injuries, all as a result of beatings while in custody. No charges were brought against any of them.

The Galway Amnesty group is inviting members of the public to call in to their café on Middle Street between Wednesday 16 and Saturday 19 July to find out more and sign a card which will be sent to the Mexican authorities requesting that they investigate human rights violations in the Oaxaca region.

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