On 19 June 2010, Father Martín Octavio García Ortiz, was strongly beaten, abducted and arbitrarly detained in consequence of his work of human rights defender. In addition of promoting reforestation, rainwater retention and communal savings projects ( or community savings), the Father Martin Octavio García Ortiz, Priest of San Pedro Apóstol en Ocotlán, Oaxaca, informed people how the use of the gold and silver mine of San Jose del Progreso would affect their environment. Granted to the Canadian company Fortuna Silver Inc y Continuum Resources Ltd through its Mexican branche Compañía Minera Cuzcatlán in 2010, the concession of the use of the mine has brought stark divisions in the community, people against it and others in favor, including municipal and agrarian authorities.
In this conflictual environment due to the concession of the use of the mine, a confrontation between inhabitants and municapal authorities arose on 19 June 2010 which caused the death of the municipal president and other public officer. While the Priest Martín Octavio García Ortiz was out of the community during this conflict, at the time he arrived to the community to lead a mass, a bunch of people arrested, beaten him and made him placed in pre-charge detention (arraigo) on the order of a judge, on suspicion of the two murders. <media 7777>(Urgent Accion of Amnisty International )</media>
On 30 June, the Father was finally released on bail for lack of evidence. <media 7778>(Urgent Accion of Amnisty International)</media>
From then, the Priest Martín Octavio García Ortiz could not return to the community and has made complaints against authorities for violations of human rights and for reparation of the damage he has suffered. Nevertheless, they report the absence of progress in the investigation of the case.
Since Dicember 2010, due to his high level of risk, PBI has provided international accompaniment to the Father Martin Octavio García Ortiz, member of Other human rights defenders in OaxacaCentro Regional de Derechos Humanos "Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño".