Weaving Threads of the Resistance against Torture in Mexico
In 2024, a coalition of organisations fighting for social justice and the end of torture, led by the Center for Justice for Peace (CEPAD) together with Fundar and Red Nacional de Peritos y Expertos independientes contra la Tortura, came together in partnership with OMCT’s financial and technical support through a small grant and held the first “National Meeting of Victims of Torture”, centering the meaningful participation of the community of victims and family members in the processes of justice and healing. Their takeaways were captured in a report named “Weaving threads of resilience: memories of resistance against torture in Mexico”, released in September 2024.
OMCT, as part of the United Against Torture Consortium (UATC), supports initiatives led by local and grassroot anti-torture organizations providing not only direct financial support, but active and long-standing collaboration. This partnership entails more than funding, as it also supports the resilience and growth of the local anti-torture movement through solidarity and joint work. OMCT supported CEPAD and the coalition of local partners in the gathering itself, as well as follow-up activities such as the report presentation, strengthening the network of victims and survivors and releasing advocacy statements.
The meeting was a space for listening and solidarity among 28 family members of victims, survivors and representatives of eight accompanying organisations, including “Fray Bartolomé de las Casas” Human Rights Center, Center for Justice, Peace, and Development, Collective Against Torture and Impunity, Fundar, Center for Analysis and Research, National Network of Experts Against Torture in Mexico, Center for Victims of Torture, and OMCT, in addition to the participation of the OHCHR Office in Mexico.
In Mexico, torture exists. It is a practice that permeates throughout the country and has been institutionalised as a mechanism of control, truth imposition, repression, manufacturing false accusations, punishment and discrimination. Torture has been consolidated as a tool that seeks to fragment and break. In this context, it is important to continue making its permanence visible, as well as to name and recognise those who have lived and survived it and to continue building forms of resistanceCEPAD, September 2024.
This process enabled them to bring to light the historical practice of torture embedded in institutions, to identify the obstacles and challenges of the community of victims in their struggles against torture; such as increased bureaucracy, social stigma, or impunity; to acknowledge the impacts that torture has had, both individually and collectively, and to recognise and share the various forms of organisation, resistance, and solidarity that people have found.
During the meeting reflections, trees were a collective symbol of resistance. Some sources of resilience mentioned, the roots of the tree, were family, faith and spirituality, articulation and connection with others.
Hope had a strong presence, especially shared between survivors who had regained their freedom and the families who were still fighting and longing for the freedom of their loved ones. The strength and hope inspired some of the people present to continue legal proceedings that had previously been discontinued.
Despite the processes of pain, this document reflects the affection, solidarity and those threads woven to resist this pathparticipant, survivor of torture.
This initiative exemplifies the importance of fostering and supporting, both financially through flexible funds, and technically, the meaningful participation and joint work with the community of victims and survivors of torture as a key actor of the anti-torture movement. It also demonstrates the importance of establishing networks and the value of such reports as a strategic tool to documenting allegations for the Commission on Torture in Mexico to pursue justice and reparation.
This content was produced by the #UnitedAgainstTorture Consortium (OMCT, IRCT, FIACT, APT, OMEGA and REDRESS), funded by the EU. The contents are the sole responsibility of UATC and do not necessarily reflect the position of the EU.
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