Rights Group Asks Mexico Not to Repeat Tlatlaya Mistakes in Tanhuato Investigation Ruth Rodriguez - El Universal
go to original May 31, 2015

Gunfight left 42 civilians, one policeman dead, raising the possibility that there were extrajudicial killings, HRW says. (Refugio Ruiz/AP)

Mexico should conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the killings on May 22, 2015, in Michoacán state, Human Rights Watch says.

According to official sources 42 civilians and one police officer died last week during a three-hour shootout between federal police officers and civilians in the municipality of Tanhuato.

Federal Police General Commissioner Enrique Galindo said that the officers were responding to gunfire by the civilians. But the fact that 42 civilians were killed while security forces suffered only one casualty raises serious questions about whether the use of force was proportionate and lawful, Human Rights Watch said.

"Given Mexican security forces' poor human rights record, a rigorous and transparent investigation is critically important to determine if indeed there was proportionate use of force during a shootout, and if there were extrajudicial executions," said Daniel Wilkinson, Americas managing director at Human Rights Watch.

Read the rest at El Universal

Related: Human Rights Watch Calls for Immediate Probe Into Deadly Mexico Shootout (Al Jazeera)

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