The unresolved disappearance of the 43 college students in Guerrero, Mexico, and the human rights violations in the country was a talking point during Amnesty International's annual human rights meeting.

The events following the disappearance of the 43 college students, including the growing movement to demand justice for families and address the lack of federal and state law enforcement mechanisms to help resolve the case, featured heavy criticism toward the Mexican government. On Sept. 26, 2014, 43 college students were going to prepare for a protest, but they were stopped by police. It has been reported law enforcement shot six people and kidnapped 43 students, who were later cremated.

On behalf of Amnesty International, a petition was signed to Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto.

The letter read, "We, the undersigned wish to express our outrage over the actions by police in Iguala on the night of Sept. 26, 2014, which resulted in the torture and murder of Julio César Mondragón, the killing of three other students of the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Burgos in Ayotzinapa, and the enforced disappearance of 43 additional students."

The Amnesty International petition recognized the events on Sept. 26 was not isolated incidents, but "symptomatic of a human rights crisis that must be addressed." According to the human rights organization and other Mexican-based human rights organizations, they have documented a massive increase in reports of torture and maltreatment, "as well as enforced disappearances by municipal, state and federal police and the military sometimes acting in collusion with criminal gangs." The petition noted cases of the few recovered victims of disappearances and abductions whose bodies displayed evidence of torture.

The petition continued, "We appeal to you to reverse a shameful legacy of turning a blind eye to crimes like these, which have thrived in a climate of secrecy and impunity. We call on you to bring to justice all those responsible for the torture, killing and enforced disappearance of Julio César Mondragón and other teacher-training students of Ayotzinapa, including the perpetrators as well as the government officials whose acts of negligence or complicity made these horrific abuses possible. We also call on you to uphold your 2012 commitment to eradicate torture and other ill treatment and protect the human rights of all detainees."

Mexican investigative journalist Anabel Hernandez presented video recorded by the college student before their disappearance. Based on video footage, college students noticed the shooters were people in police uniform. Hernandez said the Mexican government claimed the Guerrero mayor ordered the attack of the 43 students, but official documents pertaining to the case shows further details including involvement of criminal and drug gangs and corruption.

"The federal government said they were not noticed of what was happening that night. ... They said during the attack, they didn't know anything even though Iguala has three bases for the federal government," which includes law enforcement offices, noted Hernandez. She said Mexican government officials had knowledge of the bus identification numbers that carried the college students.

"The attack was planned," said Hernandez, noting many of the students have been learning and training to be elected officials in their school. "The federal government even has this video that shows the students know the federal police was there. The federal government never want to investigate the federal police or their army." He added the federal government did not want to investigate the case.

According to Felipe de la Cruz Sandoval, professor at the Rural Teachers' College of Ayotzinapa and representative of the 43 college students' families, the school is for the poor, for the farmers in the country, and an institution for those with "no means to study in other universities." He alleged the Mexican government did not want to continue the school since students "developed a conscious," and it is not the first time the Mexican government violated human rights

"We are concerned because the people who are often elected are power hungry and do not care for their citizens," said Felipe.

Vidulfo Rosales Sierra of the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center said the events of Sept. 26 was not an incident or a coincidence but a planned attack by the Mexican government against public schools. Rosales Sierra said Peña Nieto wants to close the case and for people to return home "for normality" but "normality will never come again."

"We as human beings, we as indigenous people, are committed to walking with the parents and we will never put down our raised arms," Rosales Sierra said through a translator.

Yuriria Perez Vigueras of Amnesty International Mexico said police brutality has been a way the Mexican government meets the demands of the people.

"International pressure is what we need so the attention is not lost," said Perez Vigueras, who acknowledged many similar cases of kidnappings and murder has been forgotten by the government. "It is important for the Mexican government to see the political and economic effects of not improving human rights."

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