Geneva-Paris-Dublin, 13May 2019 - On of the first anniversary of the disappearance of human rightsdefender Ernesto Sernas, The Observatory (OMCT-FIDH) and Front Line Defendersdenounce the lack of meaningful action of the Mexican authorities, who havefailed to prioritise the line of inquiry that Ernesto Serna’s disappearance might be linked to his work defendinghuman rights.

On 10 May 2018, lawyer and universityprofessor Dr. Ernesto Sernas García disappeared in San Agustin de lasJuntas, Oaxaca. The lawyer’s disappearance coincided with a crucial moment inthe criminal proceeding on which he legally represented 23 human rightsdefenders belonging to the organization Sol Rojo, whose detention in 2015 was declared arbitrary by theWorking Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations in its Opinion 17 /2016. Dr Sernas’ case is being followed by the United Nations Committee AgainstEnforced Disappearances through its Urgent Action 540/2018. On 10 May 2019,four Special Rapporteurs and four members of the Working Group on Enforced orInvoluntary Disappearances also condemned the lack ofmeaningful advances in the investigation[1].

The Observatory and Front Line Defendersare gravely concerned by the lack of action of the Mexican authorities inErnesto Sernas’ disappearance. The lack of effective investigations intoattacks against human rights defenders, absence of sanctioning to perpetratorsand the lack of implementation of protection measures on behalf of human rightsdefenders has generated a climate of impunity that prevents effective humanrights work.

Our organizations reiterate their callto Mexican authorities to take urgent and effective measures to locate thewhereabouts of Dr. Sernas and present him alive. Furthermore, we stress that,based on international human rights standards, the authorities should consideras a first hypothesis that a violation against a defender is a product of theiractivities in defence of human rights. In the year that has passed since Dr.Sernas’ disappearance, this possibility has not been prioritised by the Mexicanauthorities.

Finally, we wish to highlight a new waveof attacks and intimidation against the Sol Rojo organization during the firstfour months of 2019, including the assassination of Mr. Luis Armando Fuenteson 11 April 2019[2]. Theorganization has suffered reprisals for its peaceful resistance to mining andenergy mega-projects whose implementation violates their rights toself-determination, as well as for their work in the case of Dr. ErnestoSernas. For all of the above, we urge the Mexican and Oaxacan authorities toensure that members of the Sol Rojo organization can safely engage in the rightto defend human rights.

To obtain moreinformation, please contact:

· OMCT: Miguel MartínZumalacárregui: (+41) 22 809 49 39

· FIDH: José CarlosThissen: (+51) 95 41 31 650

· Front Line Defenders:Sandra Partago: (+52) 55 5050 9822

The Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders (The Observatory) is a program created in1997 by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH and aims tointervene to prevent or remedy concrete situations of repression against humanrights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, theEuropean Union Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders implemented byinternational civil society.

[1] Please seehttps://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24590&LangID=E

[2] To obtain further information, pleasesee https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/es/case/killing-indigenous-leader-luis-armando-fuentes-oaxacaandhttp://www.omct.org/es/human-rights-defenders/urgent-interventions/mexico/2019/04/d25313/#_ftn4 published on16 April 2019. @font-face { font-family: Wingdings;}@font-face { font-family: Mangal;}@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math";}@font-face { font-family: "Liberation Serif";}@font-face { font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";}@font-face { font-family: "Noto Serif CJK SC";}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }h1 { margin: 12pt 0cm 6pt; break-after: avoid; font-size: 24pt; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }p.MsoFootnoteText, li.MsoFootnoteText, div.MsoFootnoteText { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }span.MsoFootnoteReference { position: relative; top: 0pt; vertical-align: super; }span.Heading1Char { font-weight: bold; }p.Standard, li.Standard, div.Standard { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }p.Footnote, li.Footnote, div.Footnote { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 16.95pt; text-indent: -16.95pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }span.FootnoteTextChar { font-family: "Mangal", serif; }.MsoChpDefault { font-family: "Liberation Serif", serif; }.MsoPapDefault { }div.WordSection1 { }ol { margin-bottom: 0cm; }ul { margin-bottom: 0cm; }