Mexico D.F., 28 October 2013. In a context of attacks, harassment, threats and acts of aggression against human rights defenders and journalists, illustrated by the recent assassination of Rocío Mesino in Guerrero and the situation of human rights defenders in the state of Oaxaca, the Consultative Council of the Protection Mechanism met with the Interior Minister, Miguel Osorio Chong, to request his political backing to the strengthening of such Mechanism. Last week, Mexico went through its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the UN Human Rights Council. Out of the 89 countries which made recommendations to Mexico, at least 30 expressed concern over the situation of human rights defenders and recommended actions in their favor. That is, 40% of the participating countries mentioned the lack of protection for defenders and journalists.

See below the press release issued by the Consultative Council after its meeting with Osorio Chong:

The Consultative Council recommends the strengthening of the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists

• Members of the Mechanism's Consultative Council meet with the Interior Minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong

• The institutional strengthening of the Federal Mechanism one year after its implementation is highlighted

Today members of the Consultative Council of the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists1 met with the Interior Minister Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong. This meeting took place after a request by the Council which, among other things, aims to issue recommendations about the protection programs and activities carried out by the Interior Ministry (SEGOB).

The Mechanism is a unique institutional experience of integration between civil society and the State through its Governing Board, which implies co-responsibility in decision making and dialogue commitments. For the government this is an opportunity to show that society's causes are also their own; and for civil society to show its capacity to influence public policy to contribute to effectively solve the problems it denounces. This is an opportunity to make policy and to build trust through dialogue. An opportunity to overcome the risk of paralysis by contempt towards politics as an irreplaceable means to build institutions with new practices.

This is the reason why in its first anniversary it is indispensable to approach the political dimensions behind the difficulties faced by the Mechanism and to assess its weaknesses in order to re-organize its operation. It is important to remember that similar experiences in other countries took several years to consolidate, as well as resources and permanent evaluation.

The expectations generated by the creation of the Mechanism are proportional to the protection need of human rights defenders and journalists, as well as the State's obligation to guarantee their security. Nonetheless, the daily reality of defenders and journalists, far from improving, is still affected by acts of aggression, harassment, threats and assassinations.

The Consultative Council has identified deficiencies regarding the effective implementation of protection measures, the attention to beneficiaries and the follow-up to cases. These concerns were expressed to the Interior Minister Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, as well as the need to institutionally strengthen the Mechanism.

Some of the issues are:

• The belated set up of the Mechanism's structure. This situation has negatively impacted the quality of risk assessments, follow up to the implementation of protection measures, documentation, process evaluation, as well as excessive distress of personnel.

• The nonexistence of the Unit of Prevention, Follow-up and Analysis has resulted in the incapacity to generate information to organize the operation of the Mechanism and improve its performance as well as preventative public policies.

• The lack of access to the trusteeship resources destined to guarantee the protection measures. Undoubtedly, SEGOB has made efforts so resources are not an obstacle at the moment of implementing measures, but there is no reasonable justification for the lack of implementation of the trusteeship resources.

• The collaboration between the different governmental powers is indispensable for the operation of the Mechanism. We note the lack of commitment and will by Federal authorities, which has deserved an observation by Senate.

• The Mechanism is far from having an influence on impunity. The Attorney General's Office and its Special Unit for the Attention to Crimes Against Freedom of Expression have been an obstacle in several cases. This Institution's investigations must result in sanctions against the perpetrators of aggressions against human rights defenders and journalists. In fact, the Attorney General's Office has not nominated a contact person for issues of the Mechanism.

On September 30, according to data from the Sub-secretariat for Human Rights at SEGOB, the Mechanism had received 96 cases (58 from human rights defenders and 38 connected to journalists), 29 of which have been qualified as extraordinary.

Out of this total of protection requests, the Governing Board has only discussed the third part as there is a significant delay in the processing of the cases according to the deadlines established by law. Will must be accompanied by efficiency and to this day the agility to assess the cases and implement the measures issued by the Governing Board is not enough.

The Protection Mechanism is a response to the reality that impacts daily in the work of human rights defenders and journalists. We maintain our trust in the Mechanism, but we highlight that every effort within this space will not be enough if Federal and local authorities in charge of the rule of law do not meet their mandates. We are convinced that the civil servants who take part in the Mechanism will fulfill their commitment to guarantee a human rights perspective in the construction of the Mechanism.

Many journalist and human rights defenders need protection measures, but these will be insufficient if they are not accompanied by robust investigations and sanctions to the perpetrators of threats, harassment and other acts of aggression. The fight against impunity, punishment and reparations are the best protection measures the State can offer human rights defenders and journalists.

We are convinced that current efforts must be complemented by political advocacy by the Interior Minister that will result in the commitment of all actors involved in the Mechanism. We are certain that his active participation will guarantee the Mechanism's effective operation as well as positively impact upon the prevention of and fight against impunity.

We call on state governments to fulfill their responsibility towards the Mechanism and to guarantee the conditions for human rights defenders and journalists to continue working safely and to inhibit the participation of public employees in acts against them.

We invite human rights defenders and journalists to support the strengthening of the Mechanism. Their demands will not allow the efforts to guarantee the defense of human rights and freedom of expression to be relaxed.

Consultative Council

Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists

Councilors

Agnieszka Raczynska

Édgar Cortez

Jade Ramírez

Jorge Israel Hernández

José Buendía

Juan José Perdomo

Michael Chamberlain

Pablo Romo

Rogelio Hernández

1The Consultative Council is made up by nine civil society representatives in the Mechanism. The Mechanism is made up by the Governing Board, the Consultative Council and the National Executive Coordination and is operated by the Interior Ministry. See www.derechoshumanos.gob.mx/work/models/Derechos_Humanos/Resource/182/1/images/ley.pdf

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For more information on the Protection Mechanism see our website and our briefing.