Chiapas: director of Digna Ochoa Center for Human Rights detained once again

Nataniel Hernández Núñez (@kaosenlared.net)

On 15 March, Nataniel Hernández Núñez, director of the Digna Ochoa Center for Human Rights (Tonalá), was detained while he found himself in the city of Tapachula investigating the situation of 4 individuals who had been arrested that day. According to the denunciation of the Autonomous Council of the Coast, organization to which the arrested pertain, at 8pm was emitted a federal arrest-order for the crime of attacking communication media, one that had been suspended since 2010. The Council indicates that this order “was executed with the rapidity that only the government has when it deals with social activists or rights-defenders.” Nataniel Hernández had already been detained together with 18 members of the Council and 2 lawyers associated with the Digna Ochoa Center for Human Rights on 22 February, until all were released.

According to another communiqué released by the Council on 16 March, “Thanks to the work of another comrade from the Digna Ochoa Center for Human Rights, today [March 16] at 2am was had the release of the 4 comrades who had been detained at 2pm yesterday [ie, 15 March]. It was a repetition of that which happened on 22 February: it was against the rights-defending comrade that they went. It is known as well that other rights-defenders arrested last month by the state-government of Chiapas are being sought.” The communiqué authors also warn that “If during the course of this day 16 March our comrade is not released, we will take the measures we deem necessary to secure his release without charges.”

At 7pm on 16 March, Hernández was released with a fine of $11,000 pesos. The Council denounced in a second communiqué this day “that the state continues to accuse and harass us juridically. That which transpired yesterday is yet more evidence of their harassment of us, their violation of our human rights and individual guarantees.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Detienen a director del centro de DH ‘Digna Ochoa’ en Chiapas (La Jornada, 16 March)

Comunicado del Consejo autónomo de la Costa de Chiapas (15 March 2011)

Comunicado del Consejo autónomo de la Costa de Chiapas (16 March 2011)

2ndo comunicado del Consejo autónomo de la Costa de Chiapas (16 March 2011)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):