RFK Center, December 19, 2014 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights calls on Mexican President Peña Nieto to protect human rights defenders and increase efforts to find the disappeared students Nearly three months after the forced disappearance of 43 students from Guerrero, only one student’s remains have been found and identified. Meanwhile, the families of the victims continue to press government authorities to search for the students alive and to open more lines of investigation. The facts of the events of September 26 and 27 remain too uncertain for the case to be closed based solely on the testimony of three individuals. This heinous crime was carried out in partnership between municipal police and a criminal gang, and the participation of other law enforcement agencies has not been ruled out. In the wake of this tragic event, Mexico has convulsed with protests calling for justice for the students and an end to the widespread impunity enjoyed by cartels and government authorities alike. The events of September have stirred up national anger about the systemic high levels of corruption and lack of accountability for human rights violations across the country. Meanwhile, those who have worked tirelessly to defend human rights in Mexico have faced increased risk simply for carrying out their professional duties. The Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, the organization representing the families of the 43 students, has faced an intense campaign aimed at discrediting their work. Recently, the Secretary of the Navy Vidal Francisco Soberón Sanz made a public statement claiming that Tlachinollan and other organizations accompanying the families are manipulating the family members for their own interest. Additionally, the Center for Investigation and National Security opened an investigation on Abel Barrera Hernandez and Vidulfo Rosales Sierra from Tlachinollan. Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is deeply concerned about such statements and investigations on human rights defenders, as they greatly increase the risks to their personal safety and wellbeing. In response, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights President Kerry Kennedy and RFK Partners for Human Rights Executive Director Santiago A. Canton sent a letter to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto calling for the government to take immediate action to protect and publicly acknowledge the legitimate work of human rights defenders. Kennedy and Canton condemned the attempts to delegitimize the work of these human rights defenders, and expressed their great concern for their security. They also urged the government to employ more resources towards finding the missing students, and investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the crimes. http://rfkcenter.org/robert-f-kennedy-human-rights-urges-president-pena-nieto-to-protect-mexicos-human-rights-defenders?lang=en