IACHR Issues Follow-Up Resolution on Precautionary Measures in Favor of Tsotsil Families in 22 Communities in the Mexican State of Chiapas

December 15, 2021

Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Follow-Up Resolution 102/2021 on December 15, 2021, to address the implementation of precautionary measures in favor of Tsotsil families in 22 specific communities in the municipalities of Chalchihuitán, Chenalhó, and Aldama, in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

The IACHR granted these precautionary measures in Resolution 15/2018 of February 24, 2018, and Resolution 35/2021 of April 23, 2021, in the belief that these beneficiaries faced serious, urgent risks of suffering irreparable harm to their rights.

The IACHR analyzed the information that had been provided by the parties and focused that analysis on the negotiations that had been conducted, on the protection measures that had been implemented, on the state of the investigation, and on other data that had been obtained while these precautionary measures were in place. The Commission commended the State on the measures it had taken and commended beneficiaries' representatives on their contributions concerning the prevailing risks. After assessing all the available information, the Commission identified various challenges and addressed them in this Follow-Up Resolution.

In keeping with Article 25 of the IACHR's Rules of Procedure, the Commission made the following decisions:

1. To keep in force the precautionary measures granted in favor of Tsotsil families in 22 identified communities in the municipalities of Chalchihuitán, Chenalhó, and Aldama, in the state of Chiapas (this requires that the State of Mexico continue to take all measures necessary to effectively protect the beneficiaries' lives and personal integrity, as requested in Resolution 15/2018 and Resolution 35/2021, considering the assessments made in Resolution 102/2021)
2. To ask the parties to submit concrete, detailed, and up-to-date information about the beneficiaries' situation, in order to continue to assess that situation in keeping with Article 25 of the IACHR's Rules of Procedure (when providing this information, the parties are asked to specify the situation of the beneficiaries—whether individuals or groups—to be able to adequately identify how these precautionary measures are being implementing concerning each of these beneficiaries)
3. To ask the parties to continue to share platforms for internal negotiation and coordination, with a view to ensuring the implementation of these precautionary measures
4. To express the IACHR's willingness to conduct an on-site visit to Mexico, with the State's consent, in order to check the situation of beneficiaries of these precautionary measures; the visit could include, among others, a working meeting with the parties and meetings with beneficiaries and their representatives and with the Mexican authorities who are directly responsible for implementing these precautionary measures (this is in line with the follow-up measures required for an effective implementation of these precautionary measures)
5. To continue to implement all relevant monitoring measures, in keeping with Article 25.10 and other provisos included in the IACHR's Rules of Procedure

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 340/21

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