Financial Times
April 22, 2002
By Alexander Hanrath

Mexico City prosecutors investigating the death six months ago of human rights lawyer Digna Ochoa confirmed on Friday that they are continuing to treat the case as a possible suicide. Human rights organizations and relatives of Ms Ochoa are protesting that officials are taking "the easy way out".

The Ochoa case is testing the commitment of Vicente Fox, president of Mexico, to end the impunity with which human rights were abused during the 71 years of one-party rule that preceded his election in 2000.

Ms Ochoa, who was prosecuting alleged human rights abuses by the military, was found dead in her office in October last year. Before her death she had received threats and had twice been kidnapped, acts for which she held the military responsible.

In March, prosecutors put forth a theory that Ms Ochoa's death was a suicide, saying she first shot herself through the leg, in an attempt to rupture a femoral vein, then through the head.

While the gun was her own, many people question the theory. A note found at the scene warned, "Sons of bitches, if you continue, this will happen to another."

President Fox has downplayed the Ochoa case as "one of many murders that take place in Mexico City every day" and left it under the jurisdiction of the Mexico City prosecutor.

But human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Global Exchange joined Jesus Ochoa, Ms Ochoa's brother, in complaining that prosecutors lacked a mechanism to enforce speedy co-operation from the military. They accuse the government of shielding the military and say it should show the political will to resolve the case and protect human rights.

Bernardo Batiz, chief prosecutor for Mexico City, on Friday confirmed that his team continues to work on the case. Mr. Batiz emphasized that all leads remain open.