On 22 August 2022, the appeal hearing will take place against her conviction to 11 years and 3 months in prison. The trial was marred with due process violations. In a trial observations report, the American Bar Association found that that verdict “lacked the requisite guarantees of fairness” and should be overturned.
In May 2022, I wrote to the Mexican authorities about the criminalisation of indigenous defender Kenia Hernández who has been detained since October 2020. In the communication, I expressed concern, along with other UN experts, that the multiple cases against her were aimed at keeping her in detention, so that she would be unable to continue her human rights work. The Mexican Government has provided more details about the trial in response.
Kenia is currently detained at the CEFERSO maximum security prison in Morelos. She is suffering from visual and spinal problems and has seen her communications with the outside world severely limited since she was first detained. She is currently permitted 10 minutes a month on the phone, which she uses to contact her family, including her children. Her lawyer has not been able to visit her for five months, or to speak to her outside court appearances, to which she connects via an unreliable internet connection.
I call for her immediate release.
