Mexican human rights lawyer Arnulfo Cerón Soriano found murdered

47-year-old Mexican human rights lawyer and social activist Arnulfo Cerón Soriano went missing on October 11 in the city of Tlapa in the state of Guerrero.

On November 20, news came of his murder.

The Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Centre reports, “His body was found near Colonia el Aguaje, in the area known as Los Tres Postes in Tlapa, Guerrero.”

The Associated Press adds, “The body was found along a road…Tlachinollan said Ceron had been buried about 3 meters deep in a clandestine grave.” And El Sol de Mexico notes, “After research work with machinery in this area, the body was found in a state of decomposition and later identified by his relatives.”

Tlachinollan “condemns the disappearance and murder of Arnulfo and demands the full clarification of the facts, the prosecution and punishment of the material and intellectual perpetrators of this crime.”

Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project has commented, “We express our condolences to the family of Arnulfo Cerón and our deep concern about the situation of human rights defenders of the State of Guerrero, and in particular of the Mountain Human Rights Centre and the Popular Front of the Mountain.”

During the search for Arnulfo, his wife Gabriela Pablo described his work in this petition: “Arnulfo for several years accompanied social movements, such as the families of the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa. Recently he was supporting street merchants in the city of Tlapa, who were abused by the municipal president of this town.”

The Associated Press reports, “Guerrero Attorney General Jorge Zuriel de los Santos Barrila [says] two people detained in recent weeks have been charged, and four others under arrest are being investigated as suspects.”

PBI-Mexico has accompanied Tlachinollan since 2003.