July and August of 2022: 379 cases of aggression against women defenders.
Three women defenders were assassinated in these past two months, all of them in Mexico: two defenders searching for disappeared persons, Rosario Rodríguez (Sinaloa) and Brenda Jazmín Beltrán (Sonora), as well as Luz Raquel Padilla (Jalisco), defender of the rights of disabled persons.
During the months of July and August of 2022, we have registered 379 cases of aggression against 112 women defenders in El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua; 36 of these women were attacked while they participated in collective actions in defense of human rights.
The highest number of attacks was registered against defenders of the right to truth, justice, and reparations, followed by those against defenders of women’s rights and defenders of land and territory.
Harassment, acts of surveillance, and stalking women defenders in their everyday lives (23%) are the most frequent forms of aggression, followed by threats (8%) and limits placed on acts of communication or access to information (6%).
1 out of every 4 attacks were committed by governmental authorities and police agents, followed by those perpetrated by unknown persons frequently associated with digital aggression.
As many as 2625 attacks against 504 women defenders and 95 organizations have been committed from January to August of 2022.
Women defenders of the right to truth, justice, and reparations under fire
In July and August there has been a troubling resurgence of attacks against women defenders of the right to truth, justice and reparations, especially in Mexico, where 3 feminicides have been committed against defenders searching for disappeared persons, and also in Nicaragua, where aggression is related to the violence experienced by women defenders who are political prisoners.
In El Salvador we registered a rise in aggression against women defending women’s rights, while in Honduras attacks continue against women defenders of land and territory.
July and August 2022 Alerts*.
Assassinations
[WHRD Alert] MEXICO / In Sinaloa assailants kill defender Rosario Lilian Rodríguez, a searching mother of the ‘Hearts without Justice’ collective.
[WHRD Alert] MEXICO / Assailants Kill Defender Brenda Jazmín Beltrán of Women Warrior Searchers in Cajeme, Sonora.
[WHRD Alert] MEXICO / Activist Luz Raquel Padilla Gutiérrez dies after being attacked and burned in Zapopan, Jalisco.
Use of legislation to limit or impede freedom of association for human rights work
[WHRD Alert] NICARAGUA / During the month of August, 42 more feminist and women’s rights organizations lost their legal status, with a total of 147 illegally canceled by Daniel Ortega since 2018.
[WHRD Alert] NICARAGUA / Daniel Ortega shuts down feminist community radio station Radio Vos, along with eight other local radio stations and a television channel
Criminalization and harassment
[WHRD Alert] HONDURAS /Persecution, harassment and criminalization of Miriam Miranda, OFRANEH member and human rights defender, after protest at Public Prosecutor’s Office on August 9, 2022