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Mexico

Professor Mendez conducteda 12-day official visit to Mexico to assess the situation and identify challenges regarding torture and other cruel treatments. During this visit, the former Special Rapporteur on Torture discussed the implementation of new criminal procedures and held meetings with both civil society organizations and relevant government authorities in México City, Nuevo Leon, Chiapas, and Baja California. Unfortunately, the mission to Mexico found that torture is still common and widespread among all levels of authority, from the military to the local and state polices. In addition, the ATI has followed recent events that affect the human rights situation in Mexico, such as the approval of the Internal Security Act in 2017 and the creation of the independent group of experts by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the forced disappearance of 43 students of Ayotzinapa, in the state of Guerrero.

In March 2021, the ATI commenced workto strengthen and enhance justice andaccountability efforts in Mexico on the issues of femicide and enforceddisappearances through research, advocacy, and litigation support.The ATIwill analyze major trends on femicide in Mexico and conduct targeted awareness-raising efforts with civil society and international human rights bodies. The ATIwill also conduct specialized research and prepare amicus curiae on the applicable international norms and jurisprudence relevant to the Ayotzinapa case and increase accountability mechanisms in order to combat impunity.

Open letter to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador:

Read the (in Spanish) to President López Obradorfrom the ATI and the Omega Research Foundationrecommending that Article 25, Number II of the Agreement published on August 25 in the Diario Oficial de la Federaciónbe amended.

FIELDWORK & ASSESSMENTS

The 10th of December of 2017, Professor Méndez,together with the Ariel Dulitzky, former President of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and Christof Heinz, former UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, released an expressing deep concern over Mexico's approval of the Internal Security Act.

In an , Professor Juan Méndez emphasized that the military presence on national security interventions aggravates the risk of torture and human rights violations, claiming that these security bodies do not have the right training and follow a lethal friend-enemy logic, which is not adequate to address internal conflicts such as the one is taking place in Mexico.

Visit to Mexico – April – May 2014.

Professor Mendez'sbegan on April 21, 2014 andconcluded Friday, May 2, 2014with apress conferenceduring which the former Special Rapporteur presentedpreliminary observationsand findings about the visit. The event in Mexico City, which was attended by many journalists.Profesor Mendez also gave.

In thispreliminary observations, the former Special Rapporteur revealed that torture is common and widespread amongst all levels of authority, from the military to local and state police. Torture typically occurs in the initial stages between a detainee’s arrest and appearance before a judge, and include beatings with fists, feet and sticks, asphyxiation with plastics bags, and electric shock. It is used in particular as a means to extract confessions and obtain information, and regularly occurs in police vehicles or illegal hideouts away from police stations or jails.

During his visit, Professor Mendezmet with civil society, victims, and high-level government authorities in different parts of the country, including the Federal District,Nuevo Leon, Chiapas and Baja California. Read the press release detailing the Special Rapporteur’s activities during the visit, an English-language news article from the Associated Press, and aSpanish-language article from CNN Espanol about the visit here.

Many NGOs that took part in the meetings compiled and presented in-depth information for the former Special Rapporteur, which can be accessed here. Some of the NGOs included the,and, among many others.

Following the formerSpecial Rapporteur’s press conference and preliminary observations, many local news sources reported extensively on theand on his.

CAPACITY BUILDING & PARTNERSHIPS

March 13 of 2017:"" event at the National Auronomous University of Mexico.

March 15 of 2017:Profesor Méndez was honored with a for his commitment to a free Mexico at the Museum for Memory and Tolerance in Mexico City.

August 26 of 2016:Professor Méndez assisted the program on Human Rights and Democracy.

April 18 of 2016:Professor Méndez and met with some representatives to discuss the legislative projects “Ley Nacional de Ejecución Penal” and “Ley General de Tortura”. The former Special Rapporteur on Torture insisted that torture should be a criminal offence punishable by appropriate penalties that take into account their grave nature.

March 10 of 2016:The former Special Rapporteur on Torture had an interview with media enterprise . During the interview, he protested about what he considered to be defamatory statements against himself and other human rights defenders by Isabel Miranda de Wallace, president of the organization Alto al Secuestro.

September 9 of 2015:Professor Mendez on the forced disappearance of 43 students of Ayotzinapa, by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

RESOURCES

(Spanish only)

Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez, mission to Mexico.

Press release related to the creation of an inter-diciplinary group on the forced disappearance of 43 students of Ayotzinapa by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.