Mexico passes law to compensate victims of crime [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Mexico passes law to compensate victims of crime

National registry of victims will be set up and compensation funded in part by the assets seized from organised crime

Associated Press in Mexico City
guardian.co.uk, Monday 30 April 2012 22.58 EDT

Mexico's congress has passed a law to recognise and protect the rights of crime victims, a longstanding demand in a country where more than 47,500 people have died in five years of drug-related violence, and thousands more have disappeared.

The law covers the dead, wounded, kidnapped or missing whether they are ordinary civilians or are members of drug cartels and other crime gangs. It also would cover victims of other crimes, like extortion.

The measure has now been approved by both houses of congress and must be signed into law by the president, who supports the move.

The law passed will establish a national registry of victims and set aside funds to compensate them, funded in part by the assets seized from organised crime groups. The compensation payments could reach as high as 1 million pesos ($77,000) apiece.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/01/mexico-law-compensate-crime-victims1