URGENT ACTION

DEFENDER AT HIGHER RISK
On 30 March 2020, the Secretariat of Public Security of Yucatan, Mexico, withdrew the police accompaniment to human rights defender Clemencia Adelaida Salas Salazar alleging its response to COVID-19. Adelaida Salas has protective measures granted by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) since March 2017. The state of Yucatan must not use measures in response to the pandemic as a pretext to weaken or withdraw protection for human rights defenders. We urge the government of Yucatan to immediately restore Adelaida’s protection measures in accordance with the highest international human rights standards.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Mtro. Mauricio Vila Dosal
Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Yucatán 
Calle 61 x 60 y 62,
Centro, C.P. 97000, 
Mérida, Yucatán 
México
Email: mauricio.vila@yucatan.gob.mx
@MauVila  

Dear Mtro. Mauricio Vila Dosal,

I write to express my concern about the recent withdrawal of protection measures to Clemencia Adelaida Salas Salazar despite protective measures granted to her by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) since March 2017. 

According to the information provided by the defender, the Secretariat of Public Security withdrew her bodyguards in the context of the COVID-19. Her protection is crucial to guarantee Adelaida’s life, since she faces continuous risks due to her activity as a human rights defender. Measures taken in the context of the pandemic should not result in the endangerment of human rights defenders. Their work should continue with appropriate adjustments in the current scenario.

We urge the government of Yucatan to immediately restore these measures in accordance with the highest international human rights standards, in agreement with Adelaida and without prejudice to the right to health for all citizens in Yucatan.

Yours sincerely,

Additional information

Clemencia Adelaida Salas Salazar defends the rights of women in Yucatan. She is the representative for the National Citizens' Observatory on Feminicide (Observatorio Ciudadano Nacional del Feminicidio) and legal representative of Ni una Más A.C.; an organization that promotes the Gender Alert in Yucatan. This NGO is a member of the National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico (Red Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en México). 
In 2017, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) issued precautionary measures to guarantee the life and physical integrity of Clemencia Adelaida Salas Salazar, for her work as a human rights defender, after the killing of Emma Gabriela Molina Canto. The CNDH condemned the withdrawal of the protective measures of Adelaida Salas in a statement on 10 April 2020 and expressed that to date she continues to be at imminent risk.
According to information received, the withdrawal of the bodyguards is because they are needed for other activities related to the contingency. We also received information of a woman human rights defender facing the same issue in Yucatan.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 30 May 2020 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Clemencia Adelaida Salas Salazar (she/her)

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: N/A

Additional TARGETS

Cmdte. Luis Felipe Saiden Ojeda
Secretario de Seguridad Pública de Yucatán / Secretary of public Security of Yucatan
Secretaría de Seguridad Pública de Yucatán / Secretariat of Public Security of Yucatan
Km. 45 Periférico Poniente, Tablaje Catastral 12648, Polígono Caucel Susulá, Mérida, Yucatán, México
Email: luis.saiden@yucatan.gob.mx 
Handle: @sspyuc

Abog. María Dolores Fritz Sierra
Secretaria General de Gobierno / Secretary General of Government
Secretaría General de Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán / General Secretariat of the Government of the State of Yucatan
Calle 61 x 60 y 62, Centro, C.P. 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, México
Email: prensasecretariagg@gmail.com 
Handle: @MariaFritzS and @GobYucatan

And copies to:
Embassy of Mexico
16 St. George Street W1S 1FD
Switchboard: (44-20) 7499 8586
E-Mail: mexuk@sre.gob.mx 
Web Page: http://www.sre.gob.mx/reinounido