Former Yucatan police officers prosecuted for alleged torture committed in 2020

MERIDA, MX.- Ten months after a complaint was filed for the death of a person due to alleged torture at the hands of Yucatan police officers, today they were called to a hearing to determine their situation.

An oral trial hearing was held at the Centro de Justicia Oral de Mérida (CJOM), presided over by the Second Trial Court of the Judicial Branch of the State of Yucatán, with the participation of four people who are accused of the crime of aggravated homicide.

The individuals who served as municipal police officers were called to trial by Judges Verónica de Jesús Burgos Pérez, who is presiding on this occasion, Sergio Javier Marfil Gómez and María del Socorro Tamayo Aranda.

The authorities are in charge of evaluating the evidence that has been presented regarding the case and will also review the results of the expertise that has been carried out, as well as the testimonies that have already been received.

In the development of the case, the defense of the victim has already been given an opportunity, as well as the defense of those who have been accused.

The case being evaluated is about an alleged act of torture, since the victim lost his life after being detained on December 24, 2020.

According to the records that were made at the time, the now ex-policemen went to a call to Xcanchakán, Tecoh (Merida municipality), where they detained the now deceased.

At the time of his arrest, they handcuffed him and took him to the municipal police station of Tecoh.

However, the victim’s defense team alleges that the victim’s body showed evidence of beatings and torture.

Ten months ago, after the arrest of the victim, he was transferred to a detention facility in another municipal police station where he died minutes later.

The expert analysis showed that the death was caused by mechanical asphyxia due to airway occlusion by bronchoaspiration.

The Human Rights Commission for the year 2020, recorded the death of five people in situations involving state and municipal police officers.

It is for this reason that the legislators of the State Congress seek to typify the crime of Torture and the crime of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in the Local Criminal Code, and also proposed the creation of a catalog of aggravating circumstances for the person who commits the offense.

TYT Newsroom