JOHANNESBURG – Ahead of the third anniversary of the arrest of Mexican human rights defender Kenia Ines Hernandez, global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on the country’s authorities to release her without delay. Police first arrested Hernandez on 18 October 2020. She is an internationally recognized defender of women survivors of male violence, as well as indigenous communities and their lands.
“As with many human rights defenders in Mexico, authorities have persecuted Kenia Hernandez for her work supporting marginalised people, rather than for any legal reason,” said David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead at CIVICUS. “She has been in jail for far too long on a false conviction and should be released immediately to her family.”
Herndandez was convicted in March 2022 on charges of “aggravated robbery” and sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison after a highly flawed trial that failed to meet international standards. Authorities repeatedly prevented Hernandez from accessing her legal representatives and participating in-person in some parts of her case.
Hernandez, who turned 34 this September, is the coordinator of El Colectivo Libertario Zapata Vive (The Zapata Vive Libertarian Collective) and co-founder and member of the Movement for the Freedom of Political Prisoners of the State of Guerrero. CIVICUS recognises Hernandez as part of the Stand As My Witness campaign, which advocates for the release of jailed activists and human rights defenders worldwide.
“Hernandez’ continued imprisonment is a strategy by the authorities to prevent her from doing her legitimate work defending the rights of women and indigenous communities,” said Kode. “There is no evidence she committed any crime.”
Since her arrest, Hernandez’ health has deteriorated due to unsanitary prison conditions, and in 2021, she went on a hunger strike to protest her unjust detention and subpar treatment. Her experience is symptomatic of how Mexico targets indigenous rights defenders and restricts civic space. The CIVICUS Monitor, which assesses civic space worldwide, rates Mexico as “repressed,” one step above its worst ranking “closed.”
CIVICUS is the global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. A worldwide community of informed, inspired, committed citizens engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity. We were established in 1993 and since 2002 have been proudly headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with additional hubs across the globe. We are a membership alliance with more than 15,000 members in more than 175 countries.
