Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center
The Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center (Frayba) is a civil organization that works for the defence and promotion of human rights in the State of Chiapas, Mexico. The Frayba has been working for 35 years accompanying indigenous communities and peoples in processes of access to justice in cases of serious human rights violations, as well as contributes in the development of their indigenous autonomy and self determination, and document and report the human rights situation in the region.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) and journalists in Mexico are subject to intimidation, legal harassment, arbitrary detention, death threats, acts of physical aggression, enforced disappearances and killings as a result of their activities in defence of human rights and the exercise of freedom of expression and journalism.
Disappearances are endemic in Mexico, often happening with collusion from the state. HRDs working on the issue face serious risk, up to and including death. HRDs working in the defence of territory, particularly indigenous territory, face a similar level of risk. They are criminalised, imprisoned, defamed, and often killed. Journalists working on any of these issues, or issues related to the drugs trade and the government's complicity in this, also run the risk of losing their lives.
