Amnesty reported widespread abuse in indigenous communities

The report followed a two-week visit to Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz states.

The group credited President Vicente Fox with making some progress on rights, but said that at a state level, rights violations occurred daily.

Its investigators reported wide abuse in indigenous communities by military units searching for drugs and guns.

Farmers' crops have been razed in the name of fighting drugs and indigenous women have been raped by army patrols, the group said.

"The rule of law does not apply, justice is denied," Amnesty investigator Rupert Knox said.

"At the state level, human rights violations still occur daily and impunity is virtually total," the team reported.

The use of torture and false evidence by police and prosecutors to solve cases is still common in Mexico's justice system, the group said in remarks reported by Reuters news agency.