Members of the National Lawyers Committee on Human Rights (NLCHR), an independent committee compiled of American human rights lawyers, is undertaking an international mission to Mexico between the 2nd-7th July to document cases of human rights abuses and aggressions against human rights defenders as well as inquiring about advancements in the investigations.

The objective of the committee´s mission is to support lawyers and other human rights defenders who are at risk due to their efforts to promote and defend human rights in Mexico. To do this, the NLCHR delegation is carrying out an independent and impartial review of the human rights situation in Oaxaca and the protection of human rights at the federal level. Additional elements being evaluated are access to justice, the response of the Mexican state to international recommendations and the ability of lawyers and human rights defenders to realize their work unhindered.

The NLCHR expresses its appreciation for the Oaxacan state government and federal authorities´s favorable response to the Committee´s request to hold talks on human rights. We especially wish to convey our enormous gratitude to and solidarity with the human rights defenders who not only gave their time and testimony but who, in striving for the promotion and protection of human rights in Mexico, put themselves at risk.

With regards to the protection of human rights defenders and journalists, we have been able to learn first hand from civil society organizations brought together in the CSO Group, the process of creating a Governmental Protection Mechanism. We noted the difficulties in talks with the government as was in the case of the Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, which was unanimously passed by Congress on 30th April 2012 and later enacted by President Felipe Calderon on 22st June. The NLCHR affirms its complete support for the initiative considering it to be of vital importance especially in this transitional political period in Mexico, and at the same expresses its concern for the need to efficiently implement the law. We wish to highlight the importance of elaborating regulations together with civil society and in accordance with the agreed documents in order to put this mechanism into practice.

In Oaxaca, the NLCHR met with the governor of Oaxaca- Gabino Cué Monteagudo, the District Attorney-Manuel de Jesús López López, the Human Rights Commissioner-Eréndira Cruzvillegas, the Head of Crimes of Overarching Social Importance Office- Samuel Castellanos, and the Head of the Defense for the People of Oaxaca´s Human Rights, Arturo Peimbert.

The Oaxacan organizations; the Centre of Human Rights “Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño,” the Centre of Human Rights and Assistance to Indigenous People and the Committee of Integral Defense of Human Rights “Gobixa” have shared information about cases of human rights violations that they accompany and the aggressions that their members have faced for undertaking this work. We have found out about the latest threats and aggressions against human rights defenders in the state and about the complete impunity enjoyed by the aggressors. We will also have the opportunity to interview Padre Alejandro Solalinde Guerra, who will inform the delegation about his situation of risk. The NLCHR expresses its concern about these incidents and asks the state and federal authorities for the quick and effective implementation of protection measures, especially the precautionary measures awarded by the Interamerican Commission of Human Rights, as well as the participation of its beneficiaries in the deliberation of their application. Moreover, the committee calls for the end of impunity and investigation into the incidents for which it is essential that the due process is respected and the intellectual and material authors behind the attacks are brought to justice.

At the federal level, we will hold meetings with the Under Secretary and Director of the Human Rights Department of the Interior, Max Diener Salas and Omeheira López Reyna along with representatives of the State Attorney´s Office.

On concluding the mission, we will be following up on the actions agreed with civil society as well as monitoring the acquired governmental guarantees made by state and federal authorities concerning the protection of those who defend human rights.

Finally, we would like to thank Peace Brigades International (PBI) for facilitating this visit and their work in favor of human rights defenders.

Oaxaca 5th July 2012