Mexico: Acquittal of 21 human rights defenders from the Chontal indigenous community El Coyul
Front Line Defenders and the Red Nacional de Organismos Civiles de Derechos Humanos “Todos los Derechos para Todas, Todos y Todes” (Red TdT) welcome the acquittal of 21 human rights defenders, including Saúl Robles Aragón and Román Sosa Miñon, members of the Chontal indigenous community, El Coyul.
On 16 December 2025, the Criminal Control Court of Santo Domingo Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, overturned the decision of the Unitary Trial Court Two of the Judicial Circuit of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, to convict the 21 human rights defenders of aggravated land dispossession against private company, Sociedad Agrícola Ganadera el Coyul Oax, S.C. They had been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, a collective payment of 55 million Mexican pesos (EUR 2,606,862) to the company, and a fine of 90,000 Mexican pesos (EUR 4,265).
This result reflects the power, resistance and solidarity of indigenous communities, campesino organisations and social movements that have defended and advocated for the rights of the Chontal indigenous community, El Coyul. Front Line Defenders and Red TdT believe it represents a significant step forward for the protection of human rights defenders in Mexico, and the legitimacy afforded to their work.
Despite the positive outcome, the undersigned organisations express concern about the role played by the Sociedad Agrícola Ganadera el Coyul Oax, S.C. and the Unión de Ejidos y Comunidades Agrarias Costa Istmo (UNECACI), in supporting accusations that criminalised and placed human rights defenders from the Chontal indigenous community, El Coyul, at risk.
Furthermore, we are alarmed that the Sociedad Agrícola Ganadera el Coyul Oax, S.C. continues to intimidate and harass the Chontal indigenous community, El Coyul. On 15 December 2025, the company blocked the federal highway, 200 metres from the entrance to the community. This occurs alongside a series of attacks and threats made by the company to the community, as previously reported by Front Line Defenders and Red TdT.
In light of the above, both organisations call on social movements and the international community to continue monitoring the case. It is imperative that the decision to acquit the defenders is upheld. The criminalisation of the indigenous and land defenders from the community must be brought to an end.
Front Line Defenders and Red TdT call on the authorities in Mexico to take the necessary protective measures to guarantee that human rights defenders may carry out their work without fear of reprisals and free from all restrictions, whilst defending the Chontal indigenous community, El Coyul.
