On Sunday, 8 February, woman human rights defender and lawyer Poulette Celene Hernández was physically attacked and threatened with death in her home in Tonalá, Chiapas. The day before, she was intimidated by armed men, showing a pattern of harassment and risk to her life and integrity.

Poulette Celene Hernández is a woman defender and lawyer who accompanies women-led community processes in Chiapas’ Costa region, promoting capacity-building on human rights, community health and agroecology. Her work is an essential contribution to building more just and solidarity societies.

The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico and IM-Defensoras express our concern about the attacks and threats against the woman defender perpetrated on 7 and 8 February 2026. These events highlight the need to strengthen guarantees of security and protection for those who dedicate their lives to defending human rights.

We therefore urge the relevant authorities to:

• Provide immediate effective protection measures to guarantee the security of Poulette Celene Hernández and her family.

• Ensure a diligent investigation with a gender perspective of the events denounced in the investigation file 070-2026.

• Publicly recognize her human rights defense work and promote an environment free from stigmatization and violence against her.

• Coordinate actions with the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, guaranteeing sustainable measures that respond to the context.

• Strengthen security conditions in the Istmo-Costa region, contributing to a safer environment for all communities.

The defense of human rights is legitimate and necessary for the construction of a more just and egalitarian society. We express our solidarity with Poulette Celene Hernández and her family, and we trust that the institutions will act with responsibility and commitment to guarantee her safety and respect for her work, in compliance with national law and international human rights standards.