Download the full report - Human Rights Watch

Acknowledgments
This report was written by Nik Steinberg, senior researcher for the Americas at Human
Rights Watch. The report was edited by Daniel Wilkinson, managing director of the Americas
Division, José Miguel Vivanco, executive director of the Americas Division, Joe Saunders,
deputy program director, and Aisling Reidy, senior legal advisor. Daniel Wilkinson,
emergencies researcher Dan Williams, and Americas researcher Stephanie Morin
participated in fact-finding missions for this report. Associates Mariana Dambolena and
Sylvie Stein contributed to the logistics and production. Interns Teresa Cantero, Lucy
McDonald-Stewart, Ashley Morse, Paula Lekanda, Montserrat Paula López Skoknic, and
Carolyn Smalkowski all provided valuable research support. Grace Choi designed the
report’s maps and layout, and Fitzroy Hepkins provided production assistance. Brian Root
provided assistance with data analysis. Gabriela Haymes translated the report into Spanish.
Human Rights Watch is profoundly grateful to the families of the disappeared who shared
their testimonies with us. As this report demonstrates, disappearances inflict deep and
lasting suffering on people whose loved ones have been taken—suffering that is
exacerbated by the fact that the fate of the victims remains unknown. Recounting such
stories is often extremely painful and requires individuals to overcome a well-founded fear
of reprisals. Families often journeyed great distances to meet with our researchers, in
some cases traveling along the same roads where their loved ones were abducted. It was
with great courage that these families spoke to us. Many of them expressed the hope that,
by telling their stories, others would be spared the abuses and pain they had suffered.
Many Mexican organizations and individuals collaborated in the research for this report,
and we are deeply indebted to them for their contributions. These partners played a critical
role in providing expert guidance and advice, as well as assisting with the documentation
of both individual cases and broader patterns of abuse. The organizations and individuals
include, but are not limited to, the following:
In Mexico City (and in the states where they documented cases): the Miguel Agustín Pro
Juárez Human Rights Center (Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Augustín Pro Juárez);
the Mexican Commission of Defense and Human Rights Promotion (Comisión Mexicana de
143 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | FEBRUARY 2013