Tonalá, Chiapas
February 24, 2026.
Related to the events that occurred yesterday, Monday, February 23, we report that Poulette Celene Hernández and her partner were notified by the Isthmus Coast Prosecutor’s Office of the Chiapas State Attorney General’s Office, within file FMAS/Istmo/01295/2026-2, with the case number 095-097-0711-2026, initiated on February 19, 2026, in which they are accused of the alleged crime of assault, reported by the individuals who attacked her outside her home.
They were summoned to appear on February 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., before Facilitator Number 13, assigned to the State Attorney General’s Office in the Coastal Isthmus of Chiapas area.
This incident occurs in a state context in which various human rights defenders have faced legal proceedings that raise concerns about possible criminalization practices.
We point out that the human rights defender was the victim of an assault on February 8, 2026, at her private residence, which caused injuries to her body and bleeding in one eye. For this reason, a criminal complaint was filed so that the Public Prosecutor’s Office could conduct investigations and punish those responsible. However, to date, there has been no substantial progress in bringing the identified attackers to justice, despite the fact that the relevant evidence has been provided, such as videos of the moment of the attack and the threats made against her.
The work of defending human rights is a legitimate activity protected by:
• Article 1 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States.
• International treaties ratified by the Mexican State.
• The Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (UN, 1998).
The Mexican State has an obligation to guarantee safe conditions free from reprisals for those who defend human rights.
We express our concern about any institutional action that could be interpreted as a form of pressure, intimidation, or misuse of the criminal justice system against human rights defenders.
We reiterate that:
• The actions of the Attorney General’s Office must be guided by the principles of legality, impartiality, objectivity, and due diligence.
• Due process must be fully guaranteed both for the victims and for Poulette Celene Hernández.
• The criminalization of human rights defenders is contrary to national and international standards.
We demand that the authorities responsible for law enforcement and the administration of justice:
1. Respect due process without restriction.
2. Provide effective guarantees for the work of defending human rights in Chiapas.
3. Cease all forms of judicial harassment against Poulette Celene Hernández, a human rights defender in Chiapas.
Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center A.C.
Posted by the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center A.C on February 24th, 2026.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.