Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna Killed
On 29 June 2017, human rights defender Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was killed inside the office of her organisation in Puebla, Mexico. The defender was shot twice during an armed attack to the offices of UPVA.
Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was a labour rights defender, member of the Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre – UPVA (Popular Union of Street Vendors October 28) and daughter of human rights defender Ruben Sarabia “Simitrio”, leader and co-founder of the same organization. UPVA is an organisation based in Puebla defending the rights of street merchants and labour rights, and organises social protests on the issues. The organisation has faced repression since its founding and its members have been subject to constant attacks, death threats, stigmatization and judicial harassment.
On 6 July 2017, a son of Rita Amador López, leader of the UPVA 28 de Octubre (Popular Union of Street Vendors October 28) received death threats over the phone from an unknown caller. This death threat comes one week after the killing of UPVA 28 de Octubre member Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna during an armed attack on the orgainsation’s offices.
Download the Urgent Appeal (PDF)
Rita Amador López is a leader of the Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre – UPVA, an organisation based in Puebla that defends the rights of street merchants as well as labour rights. The human rights defender has been subjected to repeated violations, such as defamation and smear campaigns, in addition to death threats. Rita Amador López is currently facing fabricated criminal proceedings along with other members of UPVA 28 de Octubre.
Amenazan a hermano de Meztli Sarabia, asesinada en Puebla from Rompeviento Tv on Vimeo.
On 6 July 2017, the son of human rights defender Rita Amador López received a call from an unknown number. An unidentified woman gave him the following threatening message: "Just tell Rita that similar to the daughter of Simitrio, we are going to kill one of her children”. Ruben Sarabia 'Simitrio' is the partner of the human rights defender. On 29 June 2017, human rights defender Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was killed inside the office of UPVA 28 de Octubre in Puebla. During the same attack, the gunmen fired at another UPVA member, Fredy Barrientos Corona, who is currently in critical medical condition.
The UPVA has faced ongoing and excalating repression since its founding, with its members having been subjected to constant attacks, death threats, stigmatization and judicial harassment, including the recent killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna. In April 2016, the Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders highlighted the difficult situation faced by UPVA’s members. Particular concern was expressed about the risks faced by human rights defenders Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna and Rita Amador López. In a meeting, the Initiative also warned federal authorities of the increased risks faced by Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna, who had been beaten and threatened with a gun on 05 April 2016, as well as of the criminalization, death threats and smear campaigns against Rita Amador López. At the same meeting, they requested the inclusion of these defenders in the Mexican Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. This demand that was not met.
The threats against Rita Amador López, attack against Fredy Barrientos Corona and the killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna are the latest in a wave of repression against social leaders and human rights defenders in Mexico. The government has not only failed to protect human rights defenders, but in many cases its agents have been directly responsible for the violence. This year has been a particularly violent one, with over 30 human rights defenders and journalists having been killed in the first half of the year, according to Mexican organization Comité Cerezo México.
Front Line Defenders expresses its deep concern at the death threats and the judicial harassment against Rita Amador López and other members of the organisation, as they appear to be linked to their legitimate work in defence of human rights. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Mexico to take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological security and integrity of Rita Amador López, her family, as well as all members of Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre, and to carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna.
On 29 June 2017, human rights defender Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was killed inside the office of her organisation in Puebla, Mexico. The defender was shot twice during an armed attack to the offices of UPVA.
Download the Urgent Appeal (PDF)
Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was a labour rights defender, member of the Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre – UPVA (Popular Union of Street Vendors October 28) and daughter of human rights defender Ruben Sarabia “Simitrio”, leader and co-founder of the same organization. UPVA is an organisation based in Puebla defending the rights of street merchants and labour rights, and organises social protests on the issues. The organisation has faced repression since its founding and its members have been subject to constant attacks, death threats, stigmatization and judicial harassment.
On 29 June 2017, at around 11am, a group of armed men stormed the offices of UPVA, while its members were holding a rally for the release of an imprisoned colleague, Xihuel Sarabia (also Simitrio's son), and attacked three people. Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was first shot in the stomach and then in the head. According to reports, one of the assailants asked the defender about her relation with "Simitrio" and warned that he had a message for him (“esto es para que Simitrio ya no se pase de verga” - “this is so that Simitrio stops f***ing around”). Two other members of the UPVA were beaten and one of them was wounded before the gunmen escaped. UPVA 28 de Octubre had previously denounced attempts of criminalization, attacks and death threats against Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna and other members of the organisation.
Meztli’s father, Ruben Sarabia “Simitrio” and her two brothers Atl Rubén and Xihuel Sarabia Reyna are detained and facing judicial processes which have been marked by irregularities, including violence during detention and fabricated charges of drug trafficking (narcomenudeo). The defenders reported receiving threats from public officials since 2014, warning them that if they didn’t stop their activism they would end up in jail. On the week of 18 June 2017, Rubén Sarabia “Simitrio”, and his son Ruben Sarabia Reyna won two appeals which recognised that due to deficiencies and irregularities in the processes the First Criminal Judge must issue a new ruling.
In April 2016, the Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders highlighted the criminalization, constant attacks and death threats faced by UPVA’s members. Particular concern was expressed about the risks faced by human rights defenders Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna and Rita Amador. On 05 April 2016, Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna was threatened with a gun and beaten by two men who introduced themselves as police officers. Rita Amador, leader of the organization and wife of Ruben Sarabia "Simitrio", has faced increased risks since the detention of Simitrio, such as criminalization, defamation, smear campaigns, and several death threats in 2016.
The killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna is the latest in a wave of repression against social leaders and human rights defenders in Mexico. The government has not only failed to protect human rights defenders, but in many cases its agents are directly responsible for the violence. This year has been a particularly violent one and until May at least 30 human rights defenders and journalists had already been killed in the country, according to Mexican organization Comité Cerezo México.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna and the attacks against the other members of UPVA 28 de Octubre. Front Line Defenders also expresses its deep concern at the death threats and the judicial harassment carried out against UPVA members, as they appear to be linked to their legitimate work in defence of human rights.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Mexico to:
1. Publicly and immediately condemn the killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna;
2. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of Meztli Omixochitl Sarabia Reyna, and the attacks against the other members of UPVA, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
3. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of all the members of Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre;
4. Immediately release, and drop all charges against, Ruben Sarabia “Simitrio”, Atl Rubén and Xihuel Sarabia, as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being criminalized solely as a result of their legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
5. Refrain from misusing the justice system to intimidate, harass and discredit human rights defenders;
6. Publicly recognize the valuable work of human rights defenders, and particularly the Unión Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes 28 de Octubre for the defense of labour rights in the city of Puebla;
7. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Mexico are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
