On November 23rd, the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center located in Tonala, Chiapas, launched an urgent action after one of its members, Nataniel Hernandez, and his family were victims of death threats and damage to their vehicle.
On November 20th, the defender had gone to document a violent situation in Colonia Arenero, where a meeting was held on the problem when the threats began: “a group of people carrying sticks, firearms, and weapons Blanca was ambushed on Belisario Dominguez Street and Callejon 10 de Mayo inside the Colonia Arenero Nueva Esperanza, causing damage to the vehicle in which he was transported with his family, threatening him with death, under the argument that they have the power and support of the authorities to act violently and prevent them from being taken out of the invaded green areas where it is intended to build a recreational park, school, sports field and garden.”
In addition, the Digna Ochoa Center reported that, due to the climate of violence and dispossession caused in the Colony, precautionary measures and a substantive solution to the conflict have been requested before the State Commission for Human Rights (CEDH), the Protection Mechanism for Defenders, the Government Delegation, and the Municipal Council of Tonala. “However, these measures have not been implemented and this has led to a wave of acts of confrontation, threats, discredit, defamation, slander, and physical attacks”, the Urgent Action explained.
Given this, it urged from the Mexican state that; “Protection measures be issued and implemented effectively in favor of the defenders of this Human Rights center and the inhabitants of the Colonia Arenero Nueva Esperanza in the municipality of Tonala, Chiapas; the life and physical integrity of the human rights defenders and the inhabitants of the colony be guaranteed; the conflict of dispossession and invasion in the Green Areas be urgently resolved, and those responsible for these acts of violence be investigated and punished.”
More information in Spanish:
Acción Urgente: Amenazas de muerte y daños en contra de Nataniel Hernández, Defensor de Derechos Humanos (23 de noviembre CDH Digna Ochoa A.C,)
Tweet tras el hecho (21 de noviembre, Twitter de CDH Frayba)
More information from SIPAZ:
sipazen.wordpress.com 