Mexico: Call to the national government and of the state of Chiapas to ensure the exercise of the right to defend human rights of the Madres en Resistencia Collective

The Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos Todos los Derechos para todas, todos y todes (Red TDT), the Servicio Internacional para la Paz (Sipaz) and Front Line Defenders express their deep concern over the recent increase of attacks and harassment against the Madres en Resistencia Collective in the state of Chiapas, restricting the organisations’ operations and ability to defend human rights and putting its members at risk.

The Madres en Resistencia Collective is an organisation that has been defending human rights in Chiapas for more than three years, searching for truth and justice in the cases of femicides that they accompany, and in the search for their disappeared relatives. Their commitment and struggle has encouraged other families to join their actions.

On 18 December 2024, during a hunger strike in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, in the state of Chiapas, a number of people accused the members of the Collective of receiving money from the government, in a clear attempt to smear and stigmatise them.

On 1 February 2025, while the members of the Collective were conducting search missions in the municipality of Berriozábal, personnel of the municipality commented that “those women searchers should be hit so that they stop bothering them” on a social media post of members of the Collective. On 5 February 2025, personnel of the municipality of Berriozábal took down and threw away the search cards which the members of the Collective put on the street. More recently, on 17 February 2025, it was reported that an unidentified person was watching the house of one of the members of the Collective.

These are only some of the examples of attacks that they have faced. The Collective have reported that these aggressions have been made by state and local authorities, as well as by private actors, with the aim of obstructing the work of the collective in its search for truth and justice.

The undersigned organisations recognise the legitimate and essential work of the Madres en Resistencia in the defence of human rights in Chiapas, in the search for justice and truth, and in the fight against impunity. The organisations have documented a worrying increase in attacks and criminalisation attempts against the collective, which has created an unsafe environment for its members. Mexico continues to be one of the most dangerous countries for human rights defenders and journalists, and the situation in Chiapas has deteriorated significantly over the last three years.

It is important to remember that, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, “States should routinely and publicly promote the positive work of human rights defenders, making clear this work is valued and applauded. Ignoring or underplaying the vital contribution of human rights defenders increases the risks to them and their work”.

Finally, the undersigned organisations urge the Mexican authorities to:

1. Cease all attacks against the Madres en Resistencia Collective and other human rights organisations in Chiapas.
2. Implement protection measures in support of the members of the Madres en Resistencia Collective.
3. Demonstrate a firm and resolute commitment by implementing measures and mechanisms to ensure the recognition of the importance of human rights work, and the protection of those who carry it out, by effectively investigating and punishing the crimes committed against them.
4. Guarantee at all times the right of the members of the Madres en Resistencia Collective to defend human rights.

Signatories: 

• Red TDT
• Front Line Defenders
• Servicio Internacional para La Paz (SIPAZ)