8 WHRDs remain held after being arbitrary detained in the 8M protest in Aguascalientes.

On 8 March, during Women's Day marches, municipal and state police from Aguascalientes violently and arbitrarily detained 23 women and 3 men. Two days later, 8 women and 1 man remain in custody. During the detentions, police physically assaulted the women, including hitting and kicking them, and dragging them by the hair. The HRDs are Yoselín CV., R Imelda VL., A Paulina MM., F Sofía MC, D Asunción CJ., A Karen L, Y Yarit RO y Yeudiel RO. Six of them are young women who are starting their work defending human rights and who actively participate in actions to occupy public spaces to protest, mobilize and organise; the other two women were arrested for the simple reason of being at the place and time of the police attacks.

The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico, Front Line Defenders and the Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders (IM-Defensoras) condemn the arbitrary detentions, police repression and violence against women who were exercising their legitimate right to protest. We demand the immediate release of all individuals remaining in custody, holding municipal and state institutions of Aguascalientes responsible for any human rights violations and for their physical and moral integrity of the HRDs.

Likewise, we demand that none of them be prosecuted. Protesting is not a crime, it is a right that all institutions at all levels of the Mexican State have the obligation to respect and guarantee.

Front Line Defenders
Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders (IM-Defensoras)
National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders