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NEWS RELEASES

January 15, 2003 (1:15 p.m. EST) No. 5

CANADIAN PARTICIPATES IN INVESTIGATION OF DEATH OF

MEXICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today announced that Canada has sent a ballistics expert to assist in a technical review of evidence in the investigation of the death of prominent Mexican human rights lawyer, Digna Ochoa. Canada's participation comes at the request of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR).

"Ms. Ochoa was dedicated to improving respect for human rights, a cause that Canada has always strongly supported in the Americas and around the world," said Minister Graham. "Canada has been following this very important investigation closely and is pleased to offer its support and expertise to the special prosecutor through the Commission."

The IACHR has assembled an international team of experts to conduct the technical review. The ballistics expert from the RCMP joins other international experts in forensic pathology and human rights law on the team, which arrived in Mexico on January 12, and will conduct its work over the next couple of weeks.

Digna Ochoa won international awards in recognition of her human rights work. She was found dead on October 19, 2001, in the Mexico City law office where she worked.

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