• Organizations demand that the government explain CISEN's actions against human rights defenders in the Mountain region of Guerrero
• Intelligence strategies should be directed toward investigating narco-mayors and not toward those who defend human rights

Mexico City, December 8, 2014.- In relation to the article published by Reporte Índigo today entitled “Ficha Cisen a abogado de normalistas”[1] (Cisen Compiles File on Student's Lawyer), the undersigned organizations regret the actions of the federal government through the Center for Investigation and National Security (CISEN) in order to investigate those who defend human rights and discredit their work by calling them “dangers to governability”.

According to published information, CISEN reports that “Rosales Sierra and Abel Barrera, through the cases they champion at the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, are elements that are considered dangers to governability”.

It is outrageous that public resources are being utilized to debilitate human rights movements instead of using intelligence capacities to combat the infiltration and corruption of narco-governments and ensure that grave human rights violations not remain in impunity.

The well recognized trajectory of Vidulfo Rosales as a lawyer and Abel Barrera as a director defending human rights have been fundamental in the region for years in combating impunity and abuse of power. We condemn attempts by the federal government to discredit and harass human rights work in this context of profound risk due to accompaniment provided to families of the 43 students who were forcibly disappeared in Iguala on the 26 and 27 of September, 2014.

One month ago, civil society organizations denounced[2] declarations made by the interim governor of Guerrero which increased risk levels for HRDs in the state and discredited the work of Tlachinollan.

Now, we call on the government to clarify the information that has been made public and guarantee that members of Tlachinollan are able to exercise the right to defend human rights with complete freedom and security.

Article 19

Acción Urgente para Defensores de los Derechos Humanos (ACUDDEH)

Asociadas por lo Justo (JASS)

Casa del Migrante de Saltillo (Frontera con Justicia)

Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres (CEDEHM)

Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Francisco de Vitoria, O.P.

Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Juan Gerardi

Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez (Centro Prodh)

Centro de Derechos Humanos Paso del Norte

Centro de Derechos Humanos Victoria Diez

Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios

Ciudadanos en Apoyo a los Derechos Humanos (CADHAC)

Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH)

Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca

Fuerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos en México

FUNDAR, Centro de Análisis e Investigación

Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia (IMDHD)

La 72 hogar refugio para personas migrantes

Servicios y Asesoría para la Paz, SERAPAZ

—

[1] Icela Lagunas, Ficha Cisen a abogado de Normalistas, 8 de diciembre de 2014, Reporte Índigo. Disponible en: www.reporteindigo.com/reporte/mexico/ficha-cisen-abogado-de-normalistas

[2] fundar.org.mx/aumentan-niveles-de-riesgo-declaraciones-de-gobernador-interino-de-guerrero-contra-defensores-de-derechos-humanos-del-estado/