Diego Cruz, 21, was one of four young men from prominent families in the coastal state of Veracruz who were nicknamed “Los Porkys” on social media after they were accused of seizing a classmate from their elite private school as she left a New Year’s party on 1 January 2015.
In a ruling which was made public on Monday, Judge Anuar González found that although Cruz was accused of touching the victim’s breasts and penetrating her with his fingers, he had acted without “carnal intent” – and so was not guilty of assault.
González also found that although the victim, who was 17 at the time, was forced into the car of one of her alleged attackers, she was never “helpless”. Two of the other three suspects are accused of penetrating the victim.
The release of Cruz – who had fled to Spain, but was extradited back to Mexico – has prompted outrage among human rights activists, and marked a new low point in a case that has reinforced the perception that those with money and political connections are above the law.
“He sexually touched her, but because he didn’t enjoy it, it’s not sexual abuse?” said Estefanía Vela Barba, an activist on gender issues.
“Since there was no pleasure in the act, it was intended to cause humiliation. They were touching her, they were bothering her, so for the judge, if the intention wasn’t pleasure, it’s not sexual assault,” said Vela, who works in the legal studies department at the Centre for Teaching and Research in Economics.
“There’s no disputing the facts. It’s not some crazy woman saying this, it’s coming from the judge’s mouth and he’s saying that if they touch you against your will, it might not be abuse.”
The case of Los Porkys has provoked widespread indignation in Mexico, not least because it took place in the coastal state of Veracruz, which over recent months has come to symbolize the failure of the Mexican state to guarantee even a semblance of the rule of law.
Amid an escalating battle between rival crime factions, thousands of women have gone missing in the state; earlier this month, more than250 human skulls were discovered at what is believed to be a clandestine drug cartel burial ground. Meanwhile, the state’s former governor Javier Duarte is on the run amid allegations that he stole vast amounts of public money.
The case of Los Porkys has also been held up as an example of the rampant impunity allowed the offspring of Mexico’s elite. Fifteen months after the attack, the victim described her ordeal in a public Facebook post, in an apparent attempt to shame authorities into taking action.
“I have nothing to repent,” she wrote. “I’ve gone drinking. I’ve gone to parties. I’ve worn short skirts like many girls my age … and for that I’m going to be judged? For that I deserved what happened?”
(the guardian)
"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
Pope Francis on Wednesday called on the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces battling the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in Mosul to take “urgent” action to protect civilian life in the northern Iraqi city.
“In expressing profound sadness for the victims of the bloody conflict, I renew my appeal that everyone commit themselves to using all efforts to protect civilians, an imperative and urgent obligation,” he said.
At the end of his weekly general audience at the Vatican, the pontiff called for peace in Iraq and welcomed a group of Iraqis in St. Peter’s Square, the Associated Press reported.
Several international bodies have criticized the coalition’s recent conduct in Mosul, including the United Nations and human rights groups.
The U.N. on Tuesday called on forces battling ISIS to work to minimize civilian casualties in the city, amid reports that coalition and Iraqi actions had killed more than 300 people since February 17. It said an airstrike on Mosul’s al-Jadida neighborhood in the city’s west on March 17 killed at least 140 people.
Read more: Iraqi forces close in on mosque where Baghdadi declared himself ISIS caliph
The coalition is investigating the incident, and Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of the U.S.-led operation against ISIS in Iraq, conceded that it “probably” played a role in the blast. However, Iraqi investigators believe ISIS was responsible for the large number of civilian deaths, rigging a building with explosives causing its collapse.
Amnesty International released a report on Tuesday, based on evidence gathered on the ground in Mosul, alleging that the coalition was “in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” in its conduct. It said mounting civilian casualties pointed to a failure on the part of the coalition to take precautions in the city.(Newsweek)
By Brandon Turbeville
According to a report by Lebanese media, Syria has issued a very serious warning to Israel – bomb Syria again and SCUD missiles will rain down on Israel.
According to the report by al-Diyar, the message was delivered via Russian officials. It quite clearly stated that, if Israel attacks Syria again, Syria will respond with deadly force, including the use of SCUD missiles against Israeli targets.
The report stated that Syria’s position is, if Israel bombs Syrian military targets, Israeli military targets will be the recipient of Syrian SCUD missiles. If Israel attacks civilian targets, Syria will target Haifa’s port and petrochemical plant.
Al-Diyar reports that Syria has a cache over around 800 SCUD missiles and that it has prepared four of them for launch in retaliation for any further Israeli incursion.
For its part, Israel, bolstered by the fact that the United States has traditionally been satisfied to treat the Zionist settler state as its own 51st, have dismissed the threats as a bluff. The fact that Israel is always ready to fight and die to the last American is the main reason it has been able to provoke, murder, and commit genocide for the last several decades with virtually no consequences. However, if the reports can be believed, the Syrians may very well be serious this time around.
Because of its ability to bully and provoke and then run to its protector America whenever anyone retaliates, Israel is actually quite likely to test Syrian resolve in the future. This time, however, we certainly hope the Trump administration holds true to “America First” and lets Israel fight its own battle.
This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link.
Image Credit
(activistpost.com)
Kenneth Rapoza ,
CONTRIBUTOR
People stand in front of a city council during a session in Kiev, Ukraine on Thursday, March 16,2017. The City Council wants some companies to stop working with Russians. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
As the world focuses on the "divorce" between the U.K. and E.U., another divorce court hearing for two other former partners was handed down today in London. In Ukraine vs. Russia on Wednesday, a U.K. court said Kiev still owes the Russians a cool $3 billion.
Russia lent Ukraine the money in 2013 under former President Viktor Yanukovich in the form of a Eurobond governed by English law. The money was mostly set up for Gazprom to be paid by Naftogaz, Ukraine's state run energy giant.
In his ruling today, British Judge William Blair said, "Ultimately this is a claim for repayment of debt instruments to which the court has held there is no justifiable defense. It would not be right to order the case to go forward to a full trial in these circumstances."
Moscow has been using that $3 billion like a guillotine over the head of Ukraine, winning small victories here and there in its fight against the three year old government. Kiev insists Russia should have participated in a 2015 IMF restructuring of Ukrainian debt, but Russia had no appetite at the time and still doesn't. A year earlier, pro-Russia Yanukovich was kicked out of office in the Euromaidan revolt. A new government was created by Arseniy Yatsenyuk who, at the time, was discovered to be the favorite pickof the State Department's Eruasian affairs chief and regime changer Victoria Nuland. Moscow has not trusted the new government since. Even with Yats now gone from office the two sides continue at loggerheads.
Ukrainian Eurobonds fell on the news of the verdict today, but not enough to raise alarm bells. For an economy still on IMF life support, Ukraine bonds are priced very close to par value and are less distressed than they were two years ago thanks to the big multilateral institutions supporting prices.
The biggest fall is political. It gives Russia a point and its lawyers some negotiating ammo in at least two more cases involving Naftogaz and Russia.
On Monday, Naftogaz pleaded a separate issue with another court, this time in Luxembourg. Naftogaz is a key distributor of Russian Gazprom natural gas into Europe. It is their only foreign supplier. Nafto filed a separate action to the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union asking to annul an October 2016 decision that gives Gazprom more shipping capacity through the OPAL pipeline in Germany and increases gas transmission via Nord Stream, a Baltic Sea pipeline that connects northern Russia to Germany.(forbes.com)
An Iraqi federal police member fires his rifle near the body of an ISIS fighter during a battle at Jada district in western Mosul, Iraq, March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Wednesday that 284 members of the Iraqi security forces had been killed since the battle to retake western Mosul began on February 19, with more than 1,600 wounded.
Army General Joseph Votel said during a congressional hearing that in addition to the casualties in western Mosul, the battle for eastern Mosul, between mid-October and late January, had lead to 490 members of the Iraqi security forces being killed with over 3,000 wounded.
Votel is head of the U.S. military's Central Command.
Iraqi special forces and police fought Islamic State militants to edge closer to the al-Nuri mosque in western Mosul on Wednesday, tightening their control around the landmark site in the battle to recapture Iraq's second city.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Alistair Bell)