MEXICO CITY — The U.N. human rights workplace on Friday condemned the killing of an anti-dam activist within the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca.
Oaxaca state prosecutors stated the physique of Filogonio Martínez was discovered Wednesday and didn’t present indicators of violence. However the workplace of the U.N. Excessive Commissioner on Human Rights stated Martínez had been shot to loss of life.
He was a part of a bunch, The Council of United Cities in Protection of the Rio Verde, which has fought since 2008 to dam plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on the Rio Verde river.
The cities within the space just lately received a court docket battle towards the federal government challenge. The area can also be riven by land conflicts.
The council stated 5 of Martínez’ fellow anti-dam activists had been killed in 2021. Following these killings, activists received a promise of safety from state officers.
Mexico has develop into the deadliest place on the earth for environmental and land protection activists, in response to a worldwide survey by the nongovernmental group World Witness. In 2021, Mexico noticed 54 activists killed, in comparison with 33 in Colombia and 26 in Brazil. The group recorded the deaths of 200 activists worldwide in 2021.