Maria Isabel Cruz Bernal
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2025-072-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2025
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 23.634501
Longitude: -102.552784
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Mexico
- From Region
- Type of record
- Named individual
- Gender
- Female
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
a human rights defender, founder and President of the association Sabuesos Guerreras A.C., which brings together family members involved in the search for and investigation of disappeared persons in the state of Sinaloa in Mexico
- Type of rights defended
- Civil/political rights
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
Participated in World Congress on Enforced Disappearances held in Geneva on 15 and 16 January 2025.
- On 13 January 2025, on the margins of the Congress, Ms. Cruz Bernal, together with other civil society representatives, met with the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. On 16 January 2025, she participated as a panellist in the roundtable discussion on the impact of enforced disappearance on women. Her engagement in these events, along with her advocacy during the Congress – particularly her calls to end impunity for enforced disappearance – were covered by local media outlets in the state of Sinaloa.
- Engagement with UN body
- Other
- Dates of engagement
- 15 and 16 January 2025
- Type of attempted engagement
- Participation in meeting on UN premises
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- 15 and 16 January 2025, January 2025
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Geneva, Mexico
- Reprisal information
According to information received by OHCHR, during the two days of the Congress, Ms. Cruz Bernal received anonymous threats via text messages, allegedly in connection to her participation in the Congress. The messages reportedly demanded that she and her association “stop making noise” about disappearances and warned them to take the threats seriously, stating that otherwise they “could be next”. 76. Upon her return from Geneva, Ms. Cruz Bernal filed a complaint with the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office. During the same week, a vehicle was reportedly observed following her relative’s car. The vehicle subsequently stopped in front of their residence, in what appeared to be an act of surveillance. Pursuant to these incidents, Ms. Cruz Bernal has insisted that the protection measures granted by the State are insufficient and has had to seek alternatives to ensure her safety. OHCHR is closely monitoring the situation of Ms. Cruz Bernal and is in contact with the relevant authorities.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Family/friends/acquaintances targeted
- Surveillance
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- Non-state actor(s)
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Government response dates
- 14 July 2025
- Government response content
- On 14 July 2025, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report informing that the National Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists followed up on the allegations of reprisals against Ms. Cruz, updated the risk assessment, and adopted protective measures.
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No