Press release

Mexico City 19 October 2012.- Launched this morning: The Consultative Council designed to protect human rights defenders (HRDs) and journalists when their lives are threatened as a result of their professional activity.

Members of the Consultative Council are Agnieszka Raczynska, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Network ‘All Rights for All’ (Red ‘Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos’, RDTDT); Edgar Córtez, of the Mexican Institute of Human Rights and Democracy (Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, IMDHD); Michael Chamberlain, Director of Iniciativas para la Identidad y la Inclusión [Iniatives for Identity and Inclusion]; and Juan José Perdomo, President of the Red Nacional de Organizaciones de Adultos Mayores, Jubilados y Pensionados [National Network of Organisations for Older Adults, Retirees and Pensioners].

Representatives for freedom of expression and journalists will be Rogelio Hernández, Director de la Casa de los Derechos del Periodista; Jade Ramírez, winner of the King of Spain International Journalism Award; Jorge Israel Hernández, collaborator in CIDE’s Masters of Journalism; and José Buendía, Executive Director of the Mexican Foundation of Press and Democracy (Fundación Prensa y Democracia México, PRENDE).

Academics who will participate in the council are Pablo Romo, member of Services and Advices for Peace (Servicios y Asesoria para la Paz, SERAPAZ), and Armando Hernández Cruz, Doctor of Law, on behalf of the UNAM.

Organisations working for human rights and freedom of expression – which have participated for more than two years in the process of designing and forming a Protection Mechanism – stated that ‘with a broad consensus, we achieved one more goal that will allow Mexico to have a body which protects human rights defenders and journalists’.

Finally, the organisations stated, after insisting that that process be made transparent, the Ministry of the Interior (Ministerio de Gobernación, SEGOB) has concluded this part of the draft Law.

The Consultative Council will now support the work required to establish protection protocols which, among other issues, should include a clear gender perspective.

Signatories:

Urgent Action for Human Rights Defenders (Acción Urgente para los Defensores de los Derechos Humanos, ACUDDEH), 'Brothers in the Road' Migrant Shelter (Albergue del Migrante ‘Hermanos en el Camino’); Article 19; World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters--Mexico (AMARC-MX); Casa de los Derechos de Periodistas, A.C.; Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, A.C.; Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA) ; 'Tlachinollan' Human Rights Centre of the Montaña (Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña 'Tlachinollan'); Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center (Center Prodh); Centro Jurídico para los Derechos Humanos; Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social (CENCOS); Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Francisco de Vitoria O.P., A.C.; Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos ‘Fray Juan de Larios’; Centro de Derechos Humanos ‘Fray Matías de Córdova’; Centro de Derechos Humanos Toaltepeyolo; Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights (CMDPDH), Comisión de Solidaridad y Defensa de los Derechos Humanos, A.C.; Comité de Derechos Humanos de Comalcalco, A. C.; Centro de Derechos Humanos “Victoria Diez”, A.C.; Comunicación e Información de la Mujer, A.C. (CIMAC); Frontera con Justicia, A.C.; Iniciativas para la Identidad y la Inclusión, A.C. (INICIA); Mexican Institute of Human Rights and Democracy (Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, IMDHD); KOOKAY- Ciencia Social Alternativa, A.C.; Propuesta Cívica, A.C.; ‘All Rights for All’ Network (Red ‘Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos’, RDTDT) (comprised of 73 organisations in 22 Mexican states); Red Mesa de Mujeres de Ciudad Juárez; Servicios de Inclusión Integral, A.C.; Services and Advices for Peace (Servicios y Asesoria para la Paz, SERAPAZ).