PBI would like to congratulate the work done by Mexican human rights defenders and activists who have fought and campaigned over decades to make this momentous decision possible.

Oaxaca: - In the context of her visit to Mexico from 2 to 9 July, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Navi Pillay, began her tour in Oaxaca City where, on 4 July, she met with authorities as well as human rights defenders and civil society organisations, including Peace Brigades International and local organisations accompanied by PBI in Oaxaca, such as Código-DH, Barca and Cedhapi, along with many others.

On 29 June 2011, Rafael Rodriguez Dircio, a member of the Organización del Pueblo Indígena Me'phaa (OPIM - Indigenous Me'phaa People's Organisation), and beneficiary of provisional measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, was arrested at a police checkpoint and imprisoned in Ayutla de los Libres, charged by the Procuraduría General de Justicia (Attorney General) of Guerrero State.

On June 16 reopening the office of the Center for Human Rights Tlachinollan in Ayutla, Guerrero state.

With this special bulletin, PBI aims to provide information on the process to achieve a governmental protection mechanism that can guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and the ongoing work of Mexican HRDs. Unless HRDs have sufficient political space and safety guarantees to be able to promote social change, Mexico's democratic transition will be seriously compromised. A protection mechanism is therefore both urgent and necessary.

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