Introduction
According to the Global Analysis 2024/25 by Front Line Defenders, Mexico was the second deadliest country for human rights defenders in 2024, with 32 documented killings. Only Colombia surpassed Mexico, reporting 157 cases.
Top Countries for Killings of Human Rights Defenders
- Colombia: 157 cases
- Mexico: 32 cases
- Guatemala: 29 cases
- Palestine: 22 cases
- Brazil: 15 cases
- Peru: 9 cases
- Pakistan: 7 cases
- Somalia: 6 cases
Challenges Faced by Human Rights Defenders in Mexico
The report highlights that violence, criminalization, and insufficient state protection have severely deteriorated conditions for those defending collective rights, particularly in conflict zones, mega-projects, and business operations.
Indigenous defenders face threats, harassment, and killings along with arbitrary legal proceedings resulting in disproportionate sentences.
The document states that the Mexican justice system is permeated with structural racism, denying an intercultural approach and perpetuating violations of the identity of indigenous peoples.
Collaboration between state actors, businesses, and crime organizations deepens violence in indigenous and rural regions where legal and illegal activities like mining, drug trafficking, logging, or land grabbing take place.
There are also reports of aggression against defenders of migrant rights facing trafficking networks and criminal groups.
Notable Cases of Disproportionate Sentences
Front Line Defenders documented several notable cases of disproportionate sentences in 2024:
- Versaín Velasco García, a Mayan Tzotzil defender sentenced to 58 years in Chiapas for denouncing abuses by security forces and organized crime in Nueva Palestina community.
- Tomás Martínez Mandujano, an Otomi defender sentenced to 43 years and 9 months for a murder he did not commit after opposing land grabbing in Llano Grande Azcapotzaltongo, Estado de México.
- Kenia Hernández Montalván, an Amuzga defender imprisoned since 2022 for over 21 years on fabricated charges related to her opposition to state mega-projects.
- Marcelo Pérez Pérez, a Tzotzil priest killed in October 2024 after more than a decade of threats for denouncing criminal groups and protecting indigenous rights in Chiapas.
Global Situation
Globally, 324 human rights defenders were killed in 32 countries during 2024.
- 84.6% were men (274 cases)
- 13.3% were women (43 cases)
- 1.2% were transgender or non-conforming individuals (6 cases)
54.6% of the homicides were attributed to non-state actors, 15.1% to state actors, and in 29.7% of the cases, the perpetrators could not be identified.
The sector most targeted was land rights defenders, accounting for 20.4% of the victims; indigenous peoples’ rights defenders made up 17.9%, and those documenting human rights violations in armed conflict contexts comprised 5.2%.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main issue discussed in this report? The report focuses on the high number of killings of human rights defenders, particularly in Mexico and Colombia.
- Who are the main victims of these killings? The majority of victims are men (84.6%), followed by women (13.3%) and transgender or non-conforming individuals (1.2%).
- What challenges do human rights defenders face in Mexico? Defenders encounter violence, criminalization, insufficient state protection, and structural racism within the justice system. Indigenous defenders face additional threats, harassment, and killings.
- What are some notable cases of disproportionate sentences? Notable cases include Versaín Velasco García, Tomás Martínez Mandujano, Kenia Hernández Montalván, and Marcelo Pérez Pérez.
- What is the global situation regarding killings of human rights defenders? A total of 324 defenders were killed in 32 countries, with non-state actors responsible for 54.6% of the homicides.
