National: Government Published Report on Human Rights Violations in Emergency

The Undersecretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration released a report documenting observations on human rights violations committed during the coronavirus health contingency.

Since March 15th, the date on which the health emergency was decreed, there have been 140 attacks against journalists and human rights defenders. In this period, 18 of the cases occurred in the state of Chiapas. In Oaxaca, 14 attacks were reported. The two states were the entities with the highest rate of violence against journalists and activists during the pandemic to date.

It should be noted that activists who defend the right to health protection especially have been victims of attacks: between March and June 2020, 103 attacks were detected in 29 Mexican states. Journalists covering topics related to the pandemic are also at higher risk of being threatened.

The report also considered the months before the arrival of the coronavirus in Mexico. The Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists observed 250 attacks in total from January to May of this year. Half of those correspond to human rights defenders. This statistic places Mexico City and Guerrero in first place with 28 cases respectively, followed by the states of Chiapas (21) and Oaxaca (17).

For more information in Spanish:

Mexico registra 140 agresiones contra periodistas y activistas durante pandemia (Forbes México el 6 de julio de 2020)

Chiapas alcanza 21 agresiones contra periodistas, defensores y defensoras de derechos humanos durante la pandemia (Chiapasparalelo el 7 de julio de 2020)

Observaciones sobre Violaciones a Derechos Humanos cometidas durante la Contingencia Sanitaria por COVID-19 (Secretaría de Gobernación)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Mexico: Articulo 19 Launches “Interrupted Message” Documentary on Risks Journalists Face (July 7, 2020)

Mexico: 2019 Highest Number of Attacks on the Press – Articulo 19 (May 28, 2020)

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

Nacional: ONU-DH condena asesinato de un defensor ambiental (Oaxaca) y un periodista (Sonora); sexta persona defensora y el segundo periodista asesinados en 2020 (May 21, 2020)

National: CNDH Demands Clarification of Crimes against Journalists in Mexico – 90% Remain in Impunity (November 8, 2019)

 

Mexico: Articulo 19 Launches “Interrupted Message” Documentary on Risks Journalists Face

Of those countries not at war, Mexico is the most dangerous country to practice journalism in. In 2019, Articulo 19 documented 609 cases of violence against journalists, of which ten were murders. Impunity in crimes against communicators is over 99% this same source estimates.

Within this framework, the International Organization for the Rights of Freedom of Expression, Articulo 19 presented the documentary “Interrupted Message” that narrates the lives of four journalists who suffered threats, intimidation, kidnapping and defamation for their work.

“Interrupted Message” shows the obstacles, risks and dangers of journalism in Mexico with the stories of Ernesto Aroche, from the Lado B website, from Puebla, from the photojournalist Jesus Gonzalez of “El Mañana” newspaper from Tamaulipas, from Mayra Cisneros, ex-reporter and radio host on “La Poderosa 94.7”, in Coahuila, and Flor Hernandez, ex-journalist with Newsweek, Oaxaca.

Flor Hernandez (ex-journalist for Newsweek, Oaxaca):

“At the beginning of 2018, an investigation began on the use of money for thereconstruction of schools affected by the earthquakes of 2017. In the investigation, it was discovered that on some occasions the resources were assigned to municipalities to ne effect, while in others it was used for things other than the reconstruction of educational establishments. As soon as the news was published, personal harassment began in the form of phone calls to insult and threaten her, in addition to being intimidated by unknown cars and persons. As a result of this situation, she is forced to stop practicing journalism. In the end, the people involved in the diversion of resources allocated to school reconstruction achieved their goal and no one else investigates the case.”

For more information in Spanish:

Documental: Mensaje Interrumpido, Articulo 19, 3 de julio 2020

“No voy a contar vinieron por mi” narra periodista oaxaqueña en documental sobre el riesgo de informar, El Universal, 4 de julio de 2020

MÉXICO ES EL PAÍS MÁS PELIGROSO PARA SER PERIODISTA FUERA DE LA ZONA DE GUERRA, Articulo 19, julio 2020

Muestra Article 19 obstáculos y riesgos de periodistas en México, e-consulta.com, 4 de julio de 2020

For more information from SIPAZ:

Mexico: 2019 Highest Number of Attacks on the Press – Articulo 19 (May 28, 2020)

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

Nacional: ONU-DH condena asesinato de un defensor ambiental (Oaxaca) y un periodista (Sonora); sexta persona defensora y el segundo periodista asesinados en 2020 (May 21, 2020)

National: CNDH Demands Clarification of Crimes against Journalists in Mexico – 90% Remain in Impunity (November 8, 2019)

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

 

National: “A President Has Never Been So Insulted and the Response Has Been Tolerance and Not Censorship” – Second Anniversary of AMLO’s Presidential Win

@LopezObrador

July 1^st marked two years since Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) was elected President of Mexico. In this framework, he presented a report of activities since the beginning of his government.

Through a live broadcast, the report was presented by the President himself. He emphasized the achievements and progress of the so-called “Fourth Transformation”, particularly in aspects related to austerity, the health and safety sector. Regarding this last topic, he emphasized: “Now, unlike in other times, in the clashes between elements of law and order and the criminal gangs, there are more wounded and detained than dead; that is to say, finish them off, kill them on the spot and the order that you do your job and we take care of human rights.”

He also highlighted attention to the low-income population, the recovery of employment, respect for Human Rights and work against corruption.

“A President has never been so insulted and the response has been tolerance and not censorship”, said the President during the presentation.

However, the AMLO government has been questioned by various players for violating the right to freedom of expression during its first two years in power. He has also been criticized for not having responded to the economic crisis, for the lack of actions against gender violence, for the implementation of the National Guard and the absence of results in the fight against crime, as well as for his actions against to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The questions come from opposition parties, public figures, national and international human rights organizations that in various aspects and moments have expressed concerns about the government’s actions.

“Two years ago we were glad to have a President who came with a powerful human rights team, acknowledging the great human rights crisis that had not been recognized in previous administrations. But two years later the enthusiasm has paled and paled because what started as a promise of a peaceful Mexico has become the repetition of a security policy where the military is still on the street”, said for example Tania Reneaum Panszi, executive director of Amnesty International Mexico.

More information in Spanish:

A dos años del triunfo de AMLO. 30 opiniones(El Universal, 1 de julio)

Con mensaje, AMLO celebra dos años de su victoria electoral(El Processo, 1 de julio)

El PRI critica a AMLO, a dos años de su triunfo, y se dice dispuesto a “rescatar al país”(Animalpolitico, 1 de julio)

Nada qué celebrar a dos años del triunfo presidencial de AMLO: oposición (La jornada, 1 de julio)

Momentos clave y polémicos del gobierno de AMLO a dos años de su victoria electoral(ForbesMéxico, 1 de julio)

More information from SIPAZ:

Oaxaca: AMLO Inaugurates Trans-Isthmus Corridor; Civil Organizations Say “He’s Taking Advantage of Pandemic”(June 11, 2020)

Chiapas / Nacional : En medio de la pandemia, revocan suspensión provisional del Tren Maya y AMLO prevé dar banderazo de salida.(May 28, 2020)

National: Claims Fracking Continues in 4T; AMLO Denies it (May 20, 2020)

Nacional: Declaraciones de AMLO con respecto a la violencia de género provoca reacciones de diversos actores. (May 19, 2020)

National: AMLO Presents His First Government Report(September 10, 2019)

Oaxaca: Death Threat at Door of Oaxaca Consortium Office

On June 15th, a black bag with pieces of meat, apparently an animal’s head, with the message: yours sincerely, CJNG. ”(SIC) was found outside the doors of the organization Oaxaca Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity.

That same day the feminist organization published a press release about the event, noting that it is evident that it is a death threat related to its work. It recalled that the Consortium has a recognized history of 17 years promoting women’s rights and the protection of human rights defenders in Oaxaca, Mexico and the Mesoamerican region. It indicated that the threat could be related to the questions they have raised with Murat’s government about femicides, disappearances of women and attacks on defenders. It mentioned in particular the campaign that has been going on for weeks “Until Justice Arrives” that “revealed the impunity and complicity of the different levels of the Government of Oaxaca in the case of Maria del Sol Cruz Jarquin”, a 2018 case of femincide.

In its statement, the Consortium blamed the Government of Alejandro Murat for the death threat: “It is evident that the Government of Alejandro Murat intends to disguise the matter as an issue of Organized Crime, a situation that is perverse, as is his regime. From this moment on, we hold Governor Alejandro Murat, Prosecutor Ruben Vasconcelos Mendez and Raul Ernesto Salcedo Rosales, head of the Ministry of Public Security, responsible for the life and safety of Soledad Jarquin, her family and each of the members. Oaxaca Consortium. ”

Several organizations have spoken out in solidarity with the Consortium, such as the National Network of Human Rights Defenders in Mexico (RNDDHM), the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), Communication and Information for Women AC (CIMAC), the SOS Tortute Network, the  World Organization Against Torture (WOAT) and Inmujeres, to mention but a few.

UN Women Mexico on their Twitter condemned “the threat received by the feminist organization @consorciooaxaca. An appeal is made to the Government of Oaxaca and to all state authorities to guarantee the safety and integrity of the human rights defenders of said organization.”

For more information in Spanish:

Comunicado de Prensa (Consorcio Oaxaca, 15 de junio)

Consorcio Oaxaca responsabiliza a Murat Hinojosa por amenaza de muerte en su oficina(EDUCA Oaxaca, 16 de junio)

Denuncia Consorcio Oaxaca amenaza de muerte y ataques por seguimiento a caso de María del Sol (El Universal, 16 de junio)

Feministas de Oaxaca responsabilizan a Murat Hinojosa por amenaza de muerte. (Proceso, 15 de junio)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Oaxaca: “Femicidal Violence, The Endless Pandemic”, Oaxaca Consortium (June 8, 2020)

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

Oaxaca/Nacional: Nuevas agresiones a periodistas; se modificará mecanismo de protección, Encinas (December 19, 2019)

Oaxaca: 126 Femicides One Year after Declaration of Gender Violence Alert (September 2, 2019)

 

National: Two Cyber Attacks on Websites in May

Two media groups, Animal Politico and Contralinea, recently reported cyber attacks against their internet websites.

In the case of Animal Politico, it suffered five attacks of this type in May, the most serious occurring between May 25th and 26th. Of unknown origin, this attempt was intended to overload its subscriber system by sending more than 2,000 requests per minute, which, in addition, were made with reported lost or stolen credit cards.

“The foregoing suggests that the objective of the attack was to violate the subscription engines to consolidate fraud, and indicate Animal Politico as committing it”, declared the organization for freedom of expression Articulo 19. “Although these attacks cannot be linked to a specific journalistic news item, it is essential to mention that the investigations carried out by Animal Politico have a great relationship with coverage on corruption, security and many other issues that represent a counterweight to the State, and which in the past has led to attacks against it”, it added.

For its part, the magazine Contralinea reported a cyber attack on its website to the Journalism Protection Mechanism of the Ministry of the Interior. It noted that “it has been the subject of hacking attempts”, which add to the attacks that its editorial team has faced throughout its history, which is why it has precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and implemented by the Federal Protection Mechanism.

As background, the magazine Proceso noted that “this latest attack occurs two days after the publication of a report on the investigations of the Financial Intelligence Unit regarding alleged corruption in Notimex during the last six-year term; and one day after releasing a report on excessive expenses in the National Human Rights Commission in the Luis Raul Gonzalez Perez administration.”

These attacks “reflect the adverse climate that the press is experiencing in Mexico”, Articulo 19 stressed, an organization that documented 609 attacks against journalists in direct connection with their work in 2019. He recalled that “of these, 11.49%, that is, 70, were aimed at the media. Attacking the media in its entirety is often more effective in generating a domino effect of censorship and inhibition of journalistic practice.”

For more information in Spanish:

Animal Político sufre su quinto ataque informático durante el mes de mayo (Artículo 19, 27 de mayo de 2020)

Animal Político y Contralínea acusan ataques cibernéticos contra sus portales (Proceso, 27 de mayo de 2020)

Contralínea, Aristegui Noticias, Animal Político y otros medios acusan ataques cibernéticos(Sin Embargo, 27 de mayo de 2020)

CNDH condena ataque cibernético sufrido por Contralínea (Contralínea, 28 de mayo de 2020)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Mexico: 2019 Highest Number of Attacks on the Press – Articulo 19 (May 28, 2020)

 

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

 

Nacional: ONU-DH condena asesinato de un defensor ambiental (Oaxaca) y un periodista (Sonora); sexta persona defensora y el segundo periodista asesinados en 2020 (21 de mayo de 2020)

 

Mexico: 2019 Highest Number of Attacks on the Press – Articulo 19

On May 26th, the organization in defense of freedom of expression, Articulo 19, presented its 2019 annual report “Dissonance: Voices in Dispute”, which records the highest number of attacks against the press ever in one year: 609 cases, including ten murders of journalists.

The ten journalists killed imply an increase of 12% compared to 2018; in addition, 99% of crimes against communicators remain unsolved and, out of 1,614 cases pending since the creation of the Special Prosecutor’s Office for this sector in 2010, only 14 sentences have been handed down.

“In 43% of the 609 attacks, public officials from the three levels of government were identified as perpetrators, especially at the state and municipal levels, and that the coverage of political and corruption-related information was 56% of the cause of the attacks”, the report states.

“After murder, journalists in Mexico were also victims of illegal entry, threats, attacks on material goods, attacks on digital communications media and computer systems, physical attacks, forced displacement, illegal communications surveillance, torture, as well as illegitimate use of the public power”, it also stresses.

Ana Cristina Ruelas of Articulo 19 expressed that at the beginning of the administration, there were expectations of change due to the presidential commitment to end censorship, due to the public apology to journalist Lydia Cacho, for the budget reduction for the hiring of official advertising; for the preparation of the diagnosis on the failures of the Mechanism to Protect Journalists and Human Rights Defenders. However, throughout 2019, “we witnessed new threats arising from stigmatization of journalistic work from the presidential rostrum.” She stated that the president “made his word an instrument and a weapon of government (and) decided to neutralize or annul anyone who sought to question his version. He confused the resistance of his adversaries and the old elites, with the rationality of those who sought to understand and report on the strategy that supports the narrative.”

Articulo 19 also reported that last year the attacks classified as “illegitimate use of public power” by the three levels of government increased by 100% due to attacks such as “stigmatization through official communication, threats of legal action and smear campaigns.”

The report raises the use of automated accounts on social networks as another point of concern, as well as “a coordinated and sustained articulation of networks to promote the image of governments, local and federal, and reduce the reach of critical and dissident voices”, reflecting in “waves of aggression” against journalists, especially women.

For more information in Spanish:

Registra 2019 la cifra más alta de agresiones contra la prensa en México: Artículo 19, SDP Noticias, 26 de mayo de 2020

AMLO hizo de su palabra un arma de Gobierno: Art. 19; condiciona el debate público y polariza, afirma, Sin Embargo, 26 de mayo de 2020

Más agresiones contra periodistas pese a expectativas con AMLO: Artículo 19, Proceso 26 de mayo de 2020

2019 registró el mayor número de ataques contra periodistas de la última década: Artículo 19, Animal Político, 26 de mayo de 2020

For more information from SIPAZ:

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

Nacional: ONU-DH condena asesinato de un defensor ambiental (Oaxaca) y un periodista (Sonora); sexta persona defensora y el segundo periodista asesinados en 2020 (May 21, 2020)

National: CNDH Demands Clarification of Crimes against Journalists in Mexico – 90% Remain in Impunity (November 8, 2019)

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

National: Reform Of Law for Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists Debated in Context of Greater Vulnerability in Pandemic

On May 20th, a controversial initiative was proposed to the Permanent Commission by the MORENA deputies that proposes to abolish 44 trusts, related to support for the Mexican film industry, agriculture, science and technology, national sports, and energy sector contractors and suppliers among others. It proposes to modify 14 legal systems, among them the Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.

Given this, former members of the Governing Board and the Advisory Council of the Protection Mechanism for both sectors warned of the fact that “it intends to disappear all those measures and locks that allow the management of resources through the trust to be transparent, with supervision of a collegiate body and with the active participation of a representative of civil society or academia.” “The Protection Mechanism (…) must be strengthened not weakened,” they declared. “Legislative measures to modify the regulatory framework that regulates the Mechanism are not necessary. What is urgent is the generation of a comprehensive public policy of protection that coordinates ordinary state scaffolding, until now ignored, which should guarantee that journalists and defenders can do their daily work in safety”, they stressed. “Although the operation of the Mechanism has had great vicissitudes, the trust has guaranteed that the lives of hundreds of defenders and journalists were protected in the last seven years,” they recalled.

Shortly before, activists, organizations and networks justly denounced that “in the current context of the health emergency caused by COVID-19, the risk situation experienced by human rights defenders and journalists in Mexico has worsened, without an adequate response from the authorities.” Espacio OSC (SCO Space) noted that “since March 15th, the date on which the health emergency was decreed, according to official figures from the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists (…) at least 44 attacks against human rights defenders and journalists have been identified and the murder of two journalists and four human rights defenders, with the state of Guerrero presenting the greatest increase in risk situations for journalists.”

Putting these figures in context, it indicated that “according to the annual report of the Mechanism, in 2019 a total of 295 attacks were registered, on average 24.5 attacks per month, which implies that in the context of a health crisis the attacks have doubled.”

The CSOs expressed their concern about the fact that “the Head of the Executive continues to use a discourse that discredits the role of the media and journalistic work. These statements contribute to creating a hostile environment against those who practice journalism and the media, and to that extent can undermine freedom of expression.” They noted that in several states the imposition of measures that restrict and hinder freedom of transit and association, such as curfews, “have a negative impact on the work of defense of human rights and freedom of expression.” They called to “strengthen the work of the Mechanism.”

For its part, Red Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todas (Red TdT – Rights for All Network)) also stressed that in the case of the homicides of defenders, “two of these murders were in the homes of human rights defenders, which shows the increase in vulnerability to the health crisis due to COVID-19.” It also highlighted that of the four, “the work of three of these people was linked to the defense of land and territory, which is consistent with the trend that has been pointed out by the Red TdT and other organizations. With these four murders, there would already be 30 defenders killed during the six-year term of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.”

They also warned about the fact that “in the framework of the health contingency, it is clear that the work of defending human rights does not stop, but becomes especially relevant at a time when institutional absences become multiple windows of opportunity for the commission of crimes and human rights violations.”

For more information in Spanish:

Las ocurrencias legislativas ponen en riesgo a periodistas y personas defensoras de derechos humanos (Animal Político, 22 de mayo de 2020)

Propuesta de eliminar fideicomisos tambien toca a periodistas (La Jornada, 21 de mayo de 2020)

Espacio OSC, personas defensoras y periodistas llaman a respetar el derecho a defender derechos humanos y el ejercicio de la libertad de expresión durante la pandemia provocada por el Covid-19 (Espacio OSC, 20 de mayo de 2020)

Lista de personas defensoras y periodistas asesinados en México en 2020 (Educa, 20 de mayo de 2020)

Organizaciones denuncian que durante contingencia sanitaria se han recrudecido agresiones contra personas defensoras de derechos humanos (Red Tdt, 14 de mayo de 2020)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional: ONU-DH condena asesinato de un defensor ambiental (Oaxaca) y un periodista (Sonora); sexta persona defensora y el segundo periodista asesinados en 2020 (May 21, 2020)

National: CNDH Demands Clarification of Crimes against Journalists in Mexico – 90% Remain in Impunity (November 8, 2019)

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

 

 

National: Online Forum “No to the Misnamed Maya Train”

© Educa Oaxaca

On April 30th, an online forum “No to the Misnamed Maya Train” was held, where activists, academics, representatives of indigenous organizations and journalists participated. During this meeting, other issues of relevance were addressed, in addition to the issues directly linked to the Maya Train megaproject, such as the displacement of communities, the ecological impact and non-compliance with international consultation standards.

On the one hand, the impact of organized crime on the work and safety of human rights defenders and resistance organizations was discussed, as well as their direct action in these projects. In addition, there was talk of the recent issuance of the decision of the international public tender awarded to the Mexican businessman Carlos Slim for the second section of the train.

Regarding this, Carlos Gonzalez Garcia, member of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and a lawyer specialized in agrarian law, stated that “the heart of neoliberal corruption, that is, the complicity between large capitals and the Government, remains untouchable. The Mayan Train is the tangible proof of this, the tender that Slim won is very clear.” In addition, he questioned the means through which it is proposed that the ejido lands for the construction of the subsidiaries be contributed to a real estate trust, affirming that this is not established by the agrarian law: “Will it be illegal or will they make reforms in agrarian matters?”

For his part, Ricardo Andrade, member of the Yucatan Resistance Network, spoke from a health protection perspective since, in the midst of the health crisis, this project is not essential and puts the health of all workers at risk and workers who are being asked to participate in the construction of the first section of the train.

Together, the participants expressed that this project is misnamed because it does not represent the communities that share the Maya culture, but is, as in many other cases, the “folkloring” of a culture that is still alive and that is present in the fight for the defense of the territories that will be affected by this megaproject.

For more information in Spanish:

El neoliberalismo no se fue con AMLO, y la presencia de Slim en el Tren Maya lo muestra: activistas (Sin Embargo, 30 abril 2020)

Las contradicciones del Tren Maya (Radio regeneración, 30 abril 2020)

Están en contra del nombre Tren Maya (El Sol de Tijuana, 2 de mayo 2020)

Tren Maya: desmonte de selva para construir el megaproyecto de López Obrador costará 27 millones (Infobae, 4 mayo 2020)

Slim gana el segundo tramo del Tren Maya, la mayor licitación de la 4T a la fecha (Proceso, 30 abril 2020)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Oaxaca: Organizations, Communities and Movements Demand Suspension of Trans-Isthmus Project (May 2, 2020)

National: Almost 200 Organizations Demand Halt to Maya Train Works During Emergency; AMLO Confirms Megaprojects Will Continue (April 25, 2020)

Chiapas: FONATUR Receives 14 Proposals for recibe 14 to Build Palenque-Escarcega Stretch of Maya Train (April 5, 2020)

Chiapas/National: Petition in Support of Injunction against Maya Train (March 23, 2020)

 

Guerrero: Director of Diario Alternativo Receives New Threats

Photo @SDP News

On January 4th, alleged members of an organized crime gang threatened Julian Chepe, general director of Diario Alternativo, by telephone.

In an interview, Julian Chepe said that “a person asked for my name and mentioned that he was looking for the director of Diario Alternativo. When I told him it was me, he asked me if I had been invited to a meeting by the municipal president of Marquelia and I told him that I had not been informed. It was then he began to tell me that I had to align with them, that it was not convenient for me not to do so because they could destroy me and my family. The person who communicated identified himself as a member of the Nueva Generacion Jalisco Cartel,” Articulo 19 reported.

According to Articulo 19, “the threat occurs after information about an armed attack on a taxi site on the Cuajinicuilapa – Acapulco route had been published.”

They highlighted that, “since 2017, Articulo 19 has documented 14 different attacks against members of this media, committed by different perpetrators such as members of organized crime; civil servants of Marquelia, San Luis Acatlan and Ometepec; as well as of supposed members of the Union of Peoples and Organizations of the State of Guerrero (UPOEG).”

Due to the documented background, the newspaper was incorporated into the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. “In spite of this, due to the nil or little coordination with authorities, as well as given the negligence of the Executive Commission of Attention to Victims (CEAV) and the Special Prosecutor’s Office to Assist Crimes Committed against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE), the aggressions remain constant, without seeking to guarantee access to justice and reparation for victims’ damage to date.”

At present, Julian Chepe does not have medical or psychological care, or legal advice, as for more than four months, the process to access the National Victims Registry (RENAVI) is in process.

“On the other hand, in September 2019 during the process of risk revaluation of the environment, the director learned that the investigation for the complaint filed before FEADLE for the deprivation of liberty that occurred on December 23rd, 2017 had been closed due lack of evidence, without the journalist having been notified of any diligence or decision by the authority.”

For all the above, Articulo 19 called on FEADLE, CEAV and the Protection Mechanism to fulfill their tasks to guarantee the integrity and security of the journalist.

For more information in Spanish:

Amenazan a director del medio Diario Alternativo en Guerrero (ARTICLE 19, 6 de enero de 2019)

Director de medio en Guerrero denuncia amenazas de muerte del crimen organizado (Animal Política, 6 de enero de 2019)

Director de medio en Guerrero denuncia amenazas de muerte del crimen organizado (MSN, 7 de enero de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Oaxaca/Nacional: Reportero de Oaxaca denuncia amenaza de muerte; Espacio OSC urge a crear un ambiente propicio y seguro para quienes defienden los derechos humanos, ejercen el periodismo y defienden la libertad de expresión en el país (11 de diciembre de 2019)

Oaxaca/Nacional: Nuevas agresiones a periodistas; se modificará mecanismo de protección, Encinas (9 de diciembre de 2019)

Nacional: CNDH urge a esclarecer crímenes contra periodistas en México; 90% de ellos en la impunidad, denuncia (4 de noviembre de 2019)

Nacional/Internacional: ONU presenta Diagnóstico del Mecanismo de Protección para Defensores de Derechos Humanos y Periodistas (28 de agosto de 2019)

Oaxaca: Asesinan fundador y director de radio comunitaria; es el decimo comunicador asesinado en el gobierno de López Obrador (13 de junio de 2019)

Oaxaca: organismos internacionales piden garantizar la seguridad de la periodista oaxaqueña Soledad Jarquín Edgar (7 de junio de 2019)

National/International: “When Words Are Not Enough” – Amnesty International Report almost One Year after AMLO Takes Office

On November 27th, almost one year after the inauguration of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) as the new president of Mexico, Amnesty International (AI) presented a report entitled “When Words Are Not Enough” in which it takes stock of progress made on the human rights crisis in the country.

“The government of President Lopez Obrador has shown a willingness to move forward partially on some initiatives, especially on the issue of disappearances in the country. However, after a year of his government, there are no substantial changes in the lives of millions of people facing a very serious human rights crisis that has lasted for more than a decade. The very high levels of violence that undermine the right to life, the torture that is still widespread, the alarming rates of violence against women, and a militarized security strategy more alive than ever, are a sign of the tragic reality in Mexico,” Erika Guevara Rosas, director for the Americas of Amnesty International, said.

Refarding advances, she considered that the decision of the government in August to recognize the competence of the Committee against Enforced Disappearances of the UN to review communications on individual cases, gave a solution to one of the repeated demands of relatives of missing persons and human rights organizations. “However, this measure has not yet been implemented.”

AI said it sees “a huge incongruity between what the government says and what it then does. It promises a more humane treatment for migrants and in need of international protection, but sends the National Guard to persecute and detain them. It says he will protect human rights defenders and journalists, but publicly discredits them. It is worrisome that human rights violations remain the rule in Mexico and not the exception,” Erika Guevara Rosas added.

Amnesty International concluded that “in order to achieve a substantial change in human rights, the government must stop blaming previous administrations for the situation and, instead, accept responsibility for what is happening in the present and seek solutions to address the serious debts pending in the matter, making sure that any policy of the current administration has human rights and its international obligations as a fundamental basis.”

For more information in Spanish:

Cuando las palabras no bastan (Amnistía Internacional, 27 de noviembre de 2019)

México: Amnistía Internacional alerta sobre la falta de avances en derechos humanos después de un año del nuevo gobierno (Amnistía Internacional, 27 de noviembre de 2019)

“Las palabras no bastan”, la evaluación de AI al gobierno de AMLO en materia de derechos humanos (Proceso, 27 de noviembre de 2019)

México mantiene crisis de derechos humanos en gobierno de AMLO según Amnistía Internacional (El Sol de México, 27 de noviembre de 2019)

Amnistía Internacional califica de “incongruente” la política de derechos humanos de López Obrador (El País, 28 de noviembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

International/National: Un Human Rights Committee Issues 48 Human Rights Recommendations for Mexico (November 12, 2019)

National/International: Attacks on Migrant Defenders in Central America, Mexico and U.S. Increase (October 1, 2019)

International/National: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Expresses Concern over Unresolved Issues in Mexico (September 22, 2019)