PBI-Mexico speaks at the release of the “Defending Human Rights in Mexico: Silence and Impunity” report
Key excerpts from the Executive Summary of the report “Defending Human Rights in Mexico: Silence and Impunity” include:
“THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED collectively by the organizations Urgent Action for Human Rights Defenders AC. (ACUDDEH), the Cerezo Committee Mexico and the National Campaign Against Forced Disappearance.
The figures we present correspond to human rights violations committed by the Mexican State against human rights defenders in the period from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024. It is worth mentioning that this report does not document crimes committed by individuals unrelated to state agents, since we only report on human rights violations perpetrated by agents of the Mexican State in response to or punishment for the work of defending human rights carried out by the victims.
In the period covered by this report, ACUDDEH documented 68 events committed against human rights defenders in Mexico, resulting in a total of 154 acts of other human rights violations (other than arbitrary detention, extrajudicial execution, or forced disappearance). These 68 events affected 31 individuals, 38 organizations, and 27 communities.
From June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, 180 arbitrary arrests were recorded, the main objective of which was to dismantle the exercise and defense of the human right to protest.
Likewise, 9 cases of extrajudicial execution were documented, half of the number reported in the previous reporting period, and no forced disappearances were recorded. However, 8 cases of missing persons were recorded in which, although it cannot be determined with certainty that they are forced disappearances, the acts occurred against human rights defenders.
We must point out that, despite the decrease in the use of these mechanisms of political repression, their existence indicates that the needs of the organized people who demand that the State guarantee human rights have not yet been fully resolved.”
PBI-Mexico comments
Des Informemonos also notes:
“Jabonero Prieto recalled that the Peace Brigades have actively accompanied the Cerezo Committee since 2002, “we have learned a lot from them, they have carried out constant work of defense for human rights defenders without having any fear. We have an adverse situation, the figures of aggressions against human rights continue to be maintained, the duty of the three levels of government has the role of protecting them, reinforcing the protection mechanisms and not the material and intellectual authors. We have detected 68 arbitrary detentions, not counting the criminalization to which they are subjected. If we compare this report with the previous ones, we will realize that the arrests against them increased.”
He said that “it is worrying to know that there are 1,925 protection measures for human rights defenders and journalists. This figure reflects the limitations of this protection mechanism. We have constantly released communiqués and 34 recommendations to the government because we are concerned about what is happening with them. We all have the right to protest but legislative changes are needed to guarantee the right to use public spaces, the right to protest and for the state to generate comprehensive policies that promote environments where they can express their disagreements without putting their lives and freedom at risk.”
“In April, the Choluteca community in the state of Puebla was repressed with firearms by the police because they are against a megaproject. Apparently, the state is still willing to continue attacking them under the cover of impunity. Being a human rights defender is a high-risk activity,” he said.”
The full report can be read here.
The video of the launch of the report can be seen here.
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