(Descarga aquí)  

The situation of human rights defenders in Mexico worsens. Even though human rights defenders make a significant contribution strengthen the democratic state, they work in a difficult, risky context in which public institutions, especially at the local level, have not been able to generate adequate conditions to guarantee their protection and empower their work.

One of the main challenges faced by human rights defenders is the fact that they work in a context where the legitimacy of their efforts is not fully recognized. On the contrary, they have to face a number of prejudices that are often shared by the authorities and even promoted through the media.

Defending human rights in Mexico is an extremely dangerous activity, and there are no mechanisms nor will from the Mexican state to guarantee the defense of human rights in our country.

Human rights defenders face murder, threats, harassment, and imprisonment every day. In Chiapas, the situation has reached untenable levels, as exemplified by the imprisonment of the director of the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center, Nataniel Hernández Núñez. The Center works in the coast of Chiapas and supports the Autonomous Council of the Coast of Chiapas.

The human rights defender Nataniel Hernández is currently exiled from the state due to threats by the federal and state governments of imprisoning him once again. From exile, Nataniel Hernández explains his current situation and talks about the harassment suffered by the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center and the persecution against the Autonomous Council of the Coast.