Jared Laureles and Daniel González
La Jornada newspaper
Thursday, September 4, 2025, p. 13
24 years after the murder of the lawyer and activist Digno Ochoa, the judgment of the Inter -American Court of Human Rights (Coridh) has not been fulfilled by the Mexican State: of the 14 repair measures ordered four years ago, only one has been executed, denounced relatives and organizations defending the fundamental guarantees that accompany the case.
Soledad Sánchez, a member of the Center for Justice and International Law (Cejil), said that only the recognition of responsibility and the public apology of the Mexican State to the family of the defender has been fulfilled, finalized with a shot in the head in his office, in Mexico City, on October 19, 2001.
At a press conference, they demanded compliance with the other 13 repair measures, some of which have no progress.
More serious, he said, the deadlines stated by the Inter-American Court for compliance have already won.
Jesús Ochoa, brother of Digna, reproached that even when the sentence orders the case to be reopened and the facts are “exhausted”, there is a lot of omission. “
He demanded that the former officials involved in the case be investigated, particularly Renato Sales Heredia, who – he pointed out – in December 2021 “was the creator of the simulated suicide hypothesis.”
He asked “the fourth transformation that is not only benefactor of works, but also of justice.”
Of the 14 repair measures, five are aimed at the activist’s family; The remaining nine respond to the need to generate structural changes for the non -repetition of this type of facts. Of these points, eight are “at all breach” and one partially, he said.
The adoption of an investigation protocol for these crimes and attacks is lacking, as well as strengthening the National Mechanism for the Protection of Defensores and Journalists.
Saul Loya, a member of the VSC, which groups human rights organizations, indicated that since 2016 177 defenders and 88 journalists have been killed. Of the attacks, 47 percent have been perpetrated by public officials.
