human rights defenders mechanisms

Washington, D.C., June 24, 2011 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder in El Salvador of human rights defender Juan Francisco Durán Ayala, who was an activist with the Comité Ambiental de Cabañas para la Defensa del Agua y los Recursos Naturales (Cabañas Environmental Committee for the Defense of Water and Natural Resources, or CAC for its acronym in Spanish). The CAC is an organization that defends the environment from the impact of mining activities in the area of El Dorado, in San Isidro Cabañas. The IACHR urges the State of El Salvador to investigate and legally clarify this crime, and punish the perpetrators and masterminds.

According to the information received by the IACHR, on June 2, 2011, Juan Francisco Durán Ayala allegedly hung posters and banners calling for the approval of an anti-mining law and demanding that a mining company cease its activities in Cabañas. The following day, Juan Francisco Durán was reportedly seen alive for the last time when he left his house to take classes at the Universidad Tecnológica in San Salvador. The information received alleges that the body of Juan Francisco Durán was found June 4, with two gunshot wounds to the head, in the municipality of Soyapango. (more…)

Washington, D.C., June 20, 2011—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder in Colombia of Ana Fabricia Córdoba Cabrera, an Afro-descendant community leader who worked with displaced persons seeking the restitution of lands in the Urabá region. The Commission also expresses its deep concern over a new death threat targeting human rights defenders and organizations.

According to the information the IACHR has received, Ana Fabricia Córdoba was a member of the organization Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres (Women’s Peaceful Path) and a founder of the Asociación Líderes Hacia delante por un Tejido Humano de Paz (Association of Leaders Moving Forward for a Human Fabric of Peace, LATEPAZ), whose mission is to support victims of forced displacement. Ana Fabricia Córdoba Cabrera had allegedly reported a number of cases in which rights of displaced persons had been violated by paramilitaries in the Medellín neighborhoods of La Cruz and La Honda. The information indicates that on June 7, a man shot the community leader with a firearm while she was traveling on a bus on her way to Santa Cruz. The IACHR is deeply concerned that Colombian government authorities have admitted publicly that the murder of Ana Fabricia Córdoba could have been averted, since the Ministry of the Interior’s Protection Program had reportedly known about threats against the community leader since May 9 but had failed to implement protection measures in a timely manner. (more…)

Washington, D.C., May 10, 2011 — The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder in Mexico of Quetzalcóatl Leija Herrera, who was president of the Center for Studies and Projects for Integral Human Development (CEPRODEHI) and worked to defend and promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex persons (LGBTI) in the city of Chilpancingo, Guerrero.

According to the information the IACHR has received, Quetzalcóatl Leija had participated in promoting the “Law of Societies of Coexistence” before the Legislature of the Local Congress; advocated for the “Bill to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination in Guerrero”; reported to the authorities 16 cases allegedly involving homophobia-related crimes; and organized six gay-pride marches in the state of Guerrero, among other activities to defend the rights of LGBTI persons. The information received indicates that the body of the human rights activist was found in the early morning hours of May 4, 2011, next to the Old Palace of Justice of Chilpancingo, with a blow to his head that had disfigured part of his face. (more…)