On Sunday, 11 October, demonstrators gathered to demand access to clean and high-quality water in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The march began at La Minerva Roundabout and ended near Casa Jalisco, the official residence of the state governor, Pablo Lemus Navarro. During the peaceful protest, police agents used tear gas and water cannons against people who were exercising their legitimate right to protest. These acts also targeted journalists who were documenting the events. As a result, there were reports of at least 51 people being arbitrarily detained, among them 24 women, and of attacks on three journalists, one of whom was seriously injured.
According to reports from different media outlets, 18 people “with serious injuries” were released in the last few hours. The whereabouts and conditions of those who remain in custody are unknown, because the Prosecutor’s Office has refused to publish the list of people detained. Given this situation, family members, human rights organizations and collectives are demanding that state authorities provide immediate, transparent and detailed information about the number of people attacked, injured and detained, as well as their health condition, location and legal situation.
It must be noted that these mobilizations seek to raise visibility for people’s concerns and demands regarding the human right to water, its access, availability, quality and management, as well as the impacts that certain decisions may have on territories and communities.
The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico and IM-Defensoras is concerned about these serious attacks against activists and defenders of the right to water, territory and natural resources, as well as against journalists who were conducting their work documenting and providing informational coverage.
We call on authorities in Guadalajara and the state of Jalisco to conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations to ensure that the facts surrounding the events are brought to light, provide comprehensive protection for those affected and adopt measures aimed at preventing similar situations from recurring.
In relation to future mobilizations in response to the 11 October arbitrary detentions and attacks on demonstrators, we demand that authorities in Guadalajara and the state of Jalisco guarantee full respect for the human rights of all those participating in the protests, particularly their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and demonstration, as well as their physical integrity and safety. Social protest is a legitimate expression of collective action to demand that authorities address people’s needs and demands. We also call on the authorities to listen and address people’s demands through dialogue, transparency and effective community participation, guaranteeing at all times respect for the human rights and integrity of those who participate in these collective expressions.
The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico and IM-Defensoras will remain alert and vigilant regarding what happens during these mobilizations, documenting and denouncing any act of violence or violation of the human rights against those who exercise their legitimate right to protest.
Finally, we express our solidarity with the people affected, their families, organizations and communities. And we call on the international community to express solidarity with those who defend water in Jalisco, recognizing the value of their voices, embodying support for their struggles and amplifying their worthy demands to build a present and a future in which this right is guaranteed for all people.