Image from Red Defensoras Mexico.
Espacio OSC has posted on social media about an attack and threats against lawyer and human rights defender Poulette Celene Hernandez.
The Digna Ochoa Human Rights Centre has also posted on social media:
“Poulette Celene Hernandez is a lawyer and human rights defender. [She] coordinates work with women in the Costa de Chiapas region, accompanying victims of violence and strengthening training processes in women’s human rights, community health and agroecology. Her work is developed in contexts of high vulnerability and risk for advocates. In recent days, attempts to strip by the Interoceanic Corridor have been reported, as well as the collusion between criminal groups with authorities in the region.”
It then highlights:
“This human rights center has documented physical aggression and death threats against Human Rights Defender Poulette Celene Hernandez, in the municipality of Tonalá, Istmo-Costa region of the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Recent events indicate a pattern of harassment and high risk, prompting urgent concern for their life, physical integrity and personal safety.”
Along with a “Description of the facts”, the Human Rights Centre requests that Mexican authorities take several measures to ensure the safety of Hernandez, including: “Coordinate actions with the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists of the Federal Government.”
News reports
El Universal now reports: “In the case of Poulette Celene Hernández, who is under the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, she has asked for security mechanisms to be strengthened, while the Chiapas Prosecutor’s Office and the People’s Secretariat of Public Security implemented precautionary measures for her protection, that of her partner and son.”
Diario del Sur also reports: “Faced with this situation, the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center urged the adoption of urgent, effective and concerted protection measures with the defender, guaranteeing her life, physical integrity and safety. It also asked the authorities to implement security measures in their home and environment, including preventive surveillance and immediate reaction mechanisms, as well as to investigate the facts with due diligence, a gender perspective and a differentiated approach to defenders, ensuring the prosecution of file 070-2026 and the punishment of those responsible.”
Espacio OSC
As noted on their website: “The Espacio OSC monitors and proposes reforms and improvements to the current protection policy in Mexico for defenders and journalists, in order to change dominant institutions, policies and paradigms.”
Espacio OSC is made up of 13 national organizations and is accompanied by Peace Brigades International.
One of those member groups is the National Network of Civil Human Rights Organizations “All Rights for All” (Red TDT) that has also posted about Hernandez on social media. Their post says: “Poulette Celene Hernández, a human rights defender from the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center and a member of the TDT Network, was attacked.”
Webinar, Thursday February 12
Espacio OSC, PBI-Mexico and PBI-Canada are working together to present a webinar this Thursday that will explain what the Protection Mechanism does and why it needs to be strengthened.
To register for that webinar (with simultaneous Spanish-English translation), click here.
