National/International: UNO Requests Mexican Government to Adopt Protection Measures for Human Rights Defenders

© ohchr

On June 29th, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of UN human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, expressed in a statement “her grave concern at the intimidation, threats and killings to which human rights defenders are subjected in Mexico.” This, after the members of the Oaxaca Consortium organization on June 15th were victims of threats allegedly by an organized crime group.

“The level of vulnerability that defenders are in in certain regions of Mexico is extremely worrying. It is even more worrisome to observe the extraordinary risks faced by women human rights defenders and those who are dedicated to fighting for women’s rights”, the rapporteur said. In addition, she emphasized that Mexico has international obligations and, therefore, it must guarantee the protection of human rights defenders, especially against violations committed by agents of the State and private entities. She called on the Mexican government “to take measures to prevent future violations and to take retrospective measures in response to the violations already inflicted.”

The incorporation of a gender perspective to face the specific risks and security needs of human rights defenders, of those who work in the field of women’s rights or gender issues, is of utmost importance in Mexico, a country where gender violence continues, Lawlor emphasized.

For more information in Spanish:

Una serie de amenazas contra integrantes del Consorcio Oaxaca (United Nations Special Rapporteur, 29 de junio 2020)

Relatora sobre personas defensoras y otros expertos de la ONU exigen garantías para Consorcio Oaxaca y castigo a los responsables de amenaza en su contra. (Consorcio Oaxaca, 29 de junio 2020)

Garantías para Consorcio Oaxaca, exigen relatores de la ONU (Proceso, 29 de junio 2020)

México: Experta de la ONU insta a garantizar la protección de las defensoras de derechos humanos (Naciones Unidas México, 29 de junio 2020)

For more information from SIPAZ: 

Oaxaca: Death Threat at Door of Oaxaca Consortium Office (June 17, 2020)

National/International: Food Insecurity Increases for LGBTIQ+ Community in Pandemic (June 24, 2020)

National: UNO Supports CONAPRED (June 22, 2020)

National: Reform Of Law for Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists Debated in Context of Greater Vulnerability in Pandemic (May 26, 2020)

Chiapas: Las Abejas Civil Society Denounces Persecution and Murder of Human Rights Defenders and Protectors of Mother Earth and other Violent Situations (February 25, 2020)

National/International: UNO Presents Diagnostic of Protection Mechanism of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (September 2, 2019)