This page summarizes cases raised with Mexico by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from Mexico. Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared. Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) - the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available). Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of Mexico, Spanish). First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012) Joint allegation letter, 13/01/2012. Case no. MEX 31/2011. State Reply: 27/03/2012; 15/5/2012. Alegaciones de ejecuciones extrajudiciales, así como de uso excesivo de la fuerza y de detención arbitraria contra manifestantes estudiantiles en Chilpancingo. Observaciones El Relator Especial quisiera agradecer la respuesta del... Continue reading →
Issue No. 20 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Closing space for civil society in the United Kingdom, Special Rapporteur warns after official visit • India: Special Rapporteur says restrictions on foreign funding contrary to international law • Honduras: UN experts renew call to end impunity for murder of activists • UN experts urge Mexico to counter smear campaign and support human rights defenders • Egypt: end ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders and organizations • What is permissible when countering terrorism? UN experts welcome new African guidelines • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: March-April 2016 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.9MB file) or here (13.6MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 8 (Issue 17)... Continue reading →
(English) GINEBRA – Tres expertos de derechos humanos de Naciones Unidas* exhortaron hoy al Gobierno de México a expresar su completo respaldo al trabajo de los defensores y las organizaciones de derechos humanos de la sociedad civil, y a que contrarreste activamente la actual campaña de estigmatización que busca socavar su trabajo como promotores de las libertades fundamentales en el país. “Las autoridades mexicanas deberían reconocer públicamente que la defensa de los derechos humanos y de las víctimas de violaciones de derechos humanos no es sólo una actividad legítima, sino fundamental para fortalecer el estado de derecho, la rendición de cuentas ante la justicia y la democracia en el país”, dijo el Relator Especial de la ONU sobre la situación de los defensores de los derechos humanos, Michel Forst. El llamado de los expertos se da en el contexto de una ola de críticas en diversos medios mexicanos contra defensores de derechos humanos, organizaciones no gubernamentales y miembros de organismos internacionales de derechos humanos que está empeorando el clima para la promoción y protección de los derechos humanos en el país. En el último mes, a través de una campaña mediática, varios defensores y organizaciones de derechos humanos de la sociedad civil han sido... Continue reading →
(Español) GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts* today urged the Government of Mexico to express its full support for the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations, and to actively counter the current stigmatisation campaign to undermine their work as promoters of fundamental freedoms in the country. “The Mexican authorities should publicly recognise that defending human rights and victims of violations of human rights is not only legitimate, but fundamental to strengthen rule of law, accountability, and democracy within the country,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst. The experts’ appeal comes as a wave of criticism of human rights defenders, non-governmental organisations and members of international human rights bodies in various Mexican media outlets is contributing to a worsening climate for the promotion and protecting of human rights in the country. In a targeted media campaign over the past month, several human rights defenders and civil society organizations have been accused of fraud and corruption, of defending alleged criminals and falsely claiming torture thus promoting impunity. “The work carried out by human rights defenders and civil society in Mexico has actively contributed to... Continue reading →
(English) GINEBRA – El Relator Especial de las Naciones Unidas sobre la situación de los defensores de los derechos humanos, Michel Forst, pidió hoy al Gobierno de Honduras que garantice la seguridad y la protección del activista mexicano Gustavo Castro Soto, quien resultó herido durante el asesinato de Berta Cáceres. Las autoridades hondureñas impidieron el regreso a México del Sr. Castro Soto, defensor de derechos del medio ambiente y de la tierra y fundador de la organización Otros Mundos. Se ha emitido una alerta migratoria de una duración de 30 días que impide al defensor salir del país, pero la justificación de esta alerta no está confirmada. “Exhorto a las autoridades hondureñas a garantizar que la vida del Sr. Castro Soto no corra más riesgos en el país y a permitir que regrese a México lo más pronto posible”, expresó el Relator a la vez que hizo notar el acompañamiento proporcionado al activista por la Embajada de México en Tegucigalpa. “Ya es hora de que el Gobierno de Honduras intervenga de forma concreta en la situación de flagrante impunidad ante el creciente número de ejecuciones de defensores de los derechos humanos, en particular de los que defienden los derechos del medio ambiente y de la tierra en el país”, recalcó el Sr. Forst. Asimismo,... Continue reading →
(Español) GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, today called upon the Government of Honduras to ensure the safety and protection of Gustavo Castro Soto, Mexican defender, who was hurt during the assassination of Berta Cáceres. His call was endorsed by Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai, among other UN experts. Honduran authorities prevented Mr. Castro Soto, founder of the organization Otros Mundos and defender of land and environmental rights, from leaving the country for Mexico. He is prevented from leaving Honduras for 30 days due to a ‘migratory alert’, but the grounds for this alert are yet to be confirmed. “I urge the authorities of Honduras to guarantee that the life of Mr. Castro Soto is not put to risk and to allow his return to Mexico as soon as possible”, expressed the Rapporteur, while noting the assistance provided to the defender by the Mexican Embassy in Tegucigalpa. “It is high time that the Government of Honduras addressed the flagrant impunity of the increased number of executions of human rights defenders in the country, especially targeting those who defend environmental and land rights,” Mr. Forst stressed. Additionally, the Special Rapporteur insisted that the Government of Honduras should... Continue reading →
UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has authored a piece on his mandate's litigation project for the latest edition of Sur, the international journal of human rights journal published by Conectas. The piece appears in Sur issue 22, and gives an overview of the litigation project and the cases it has handled thus far. Launched in 2014, the litigation project focuses on providing technical assistance and advisory services for public interest litigation on assembly and association issues. The aim of the project is to increase such litigation and encourage the application of international law norms at the domestic level. The Special Rapporteur has also submitted three amicus briefs in cases relevant to the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. "Litigation does present advantages unique among rights-promotion tools," Kiai writes in the Sur piece. "When used in the right context, for example, it can ensure concrete remedies: accountability, compensation and some closure. Litigation can also shine a light on repression by forcing the government to address issues head-on in a public setting, whether through written procedures or open hearings. Independent courts and strong rulings can provide backing for activists, halt abuses and command societal change." The essay provides an in-depth... Continue reading →
Issue No. 15 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • UN releases Kiai’s next report to the General Assembly: Comparing States’ treatment of business and civil society • Mexico: Special Rapporteur weighs in on case challenging constitutionality of protest laws • ‘Stop the erosion of democracy’ – UN experts urge Governments across the world • Peaceful protest recommendations project: Asia and Africa meetings • Ecuador: UN and IACHR experts condemn moves to dissolve prominent organization • Mauritania: UN rights expert urges repeal of NGO Bill that threatens civil society • Human rights defender stories from Kazakhstan, Burundi and Azerbaijan • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers - sectoral equity edition • Special Rapporteur news in brief: July-August 2015 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.5MB file) or here (4.5MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent... Continue reading →
(Inglés) NAIROBI/MEXICO CITY - El Relator Especial Maina Kiai presentó un amicus curiae ante la Suprema Corte de la Nación mexicana argumentando que tres de las normas contenidas en la Ley de Movilidad del Distrito Federal imponen restricciones ilegítimas al derecho a la libertad de reunión pacífica. El documento, que fue entregado el 21 de agosto de 2015, es el segundo que se presenta en el marco del proyecto de expertos de Naciones Unidas para la promoción del derecho de libertad de reunión pacífica y asociación a través del uso del litigio a nivel nacional y regional. El primer documento de este tipo se presentó ante la Corte Constitucional de Bolivia en mayo, del cual se espera una resolución pronto. El documento entregado por el Relator Especial en México fue sometido en el contexto de un caso en el que se discutirá la constitucionalidad de los artículos 212, 213 y 214 de la Ley de Movilidad del Distrito Federal. Kiai concluye que las tres normas no cumplen con “las obligaciones del Estado y las condiciones para las restricciones legítimas del derecho a la reunión pacífica de acuerdo con los estándares y principios de derecho internacional.” El artículo 212, por ejemplo, requiere que los organizadores de una manifestación notifiquen 48 horas antes de que se lleve a... Continue reading →
(Español) NAIROBI/MEXICO CITY - Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has filed an amicus curiae brief before the Supreme Court of Mexico, arguing that three provisions of Mexico City’s Mobility Law impose impermissible restrictions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. The brief, which was submitted on August 21, 2015, is the second official court filing in the UN expert’s project to advance the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association through the use of litigation in national and regional courts. The first brief was filed in the Constitutional Court in Bolivia in May; a decision in that case is expected soon. The Special Rapporteur’s Mexico brief was filed in a case challenging the constitutionality of Articles 212, 213 and 214 of the Mexico City Mobility law. Kiai concludes all three provisions fail to comply with “the obligations of the State and the conditions for legitimate restrictions to the right to freedom of peaceful assembly under international law, standards and principles.” Article 212, for example, requires that the organizers notify authorities 48 hours in advance of a planned public assembly and indicate the “perfectly legitimate objective” of the event. Although the 48-hour notification rule is acceptable under international law, requiring... Continue reading →
