Morales Montaño was abducted when making his way to a hearing at the Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board in the city of Puebla, regarding a case in which the CAT is defending a group of textile workers.

"It is unacceptable that human rights defenders have to live under constant threat of abduction or death. This is not the first time that CAT members or offices have been attacked," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. The CAT has been faced with systematic harassment since the year 2008, mainly on the part of multinational companies. According to the information received by the ITUC, the CAT is the target of a smear campaign led by the government and big business.

In a letter to the Mexican authorities, the ITUC urged President Calderón to take every action necessary to guarantee the life, physical integrity and safety of José Enrique Morales Montaño and all other members of the CAT. It also insisted on the need to ensure that the abduction is effectively investigated and that those responsible at every level are prosecuted with the full force of the law.

* The CAT is a non-governmental organisation working to protect the exercise, enforcement and defence of human rights in the workplace. Its action to protect labour rights has given visibility to the precarious conditions under which many employees are forced to work on a day-to-day basis.