Mexico: Judicial harassment of human rights defender Mr Nataniel Hernández Núñez
Human rights defender Mr Nataniel Hernández Nuñez is being subjected to judicial harassment by the authorities in Chiapas, Mexico.
Further Information
Nataniel Hernández Núñez is the director of Centro de Derechos Humanos Digna Ochoa (Digna Ochoa Human Rights Centre), a non-profit civil association based in the Istmo region of Chiapas which works to promote civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as providing legal advice.
On 11 June 2010, representatives of the Policía Federal Ministerial - PFM (Federal Ministerial Police) arrived at the offices of CDH Digna Ochoa in order to inform Nataniel Hernández Núñez that he was summoned to attend a Preliminary Inquiry at the Ministerio Público Federal – MPF (Federal Public Ministry) in Arriaga, Chiapas on 15 June 2010 as there were charges against him for the obstruction of public rights of way.
Upon presenting himself before the federal investigatory authority as requested, Nataniel Hernández Núñez was informed of an ongoing investigation against him with regard to a roadblock which was carried out on 21 April 2010 on the motorway between Pijijiapan and Tonalá. The roadblock in question was organised by various groups involved in the Consejo Autónomo Regional de la Zona Costa de Chiapas (Regional Autonomous Council of Coastal Chiapas) in order to protest against high electricity rates and the refusal of the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (Federal Electricity Commission) to reinstall electricity supplies to the community of Los Pinos in the municipality of Pijijiapan.
During the three-hour long interrogation, Nataniel Hernández Núñez was informed that he had been identified by the Federal and Municipal Police as the leader of the group that had carried out the roadblock, and that there was photographic and video evidence of his presence at the event. He was questioned about his presence at the roadblock and his work as director of CDH Digna Ochoa. Nataniel Hernández Núñez maintains that his presence at the roadblock was in his capacity as director of CDH Digna Ochoa, as he had been asked to participate as an observer in order to document any violation of human rights which may have taken place. It is feared that an arrest warrant may be issued against Nataniel Hernández Núñez subsequent to the Preliminary Inquiry.
Front Line believes the legal action against Nataniel Hernández Núñez is directly linked to his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights.
This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.
Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.
