Press Release from Mexico on the disappearance of Sandra Domínguez

We hereby publish an unofficial translation on an article found on Sol Rojo México on a sit-in taking place in Oaxaca in the occasion of the disappearance of Sandra Domínguez.

In consideration of the inactivity of the State, 33 days after the disappearance of #SandraDomínguez, relatives set up a sit-in in front of the Government Palace to demand her alive presentation

• They reported that both of their lawyers, others involved and family members have been victims of monitoring and surveillance with the purpose of intimidating them in order to not continue demanding the alive presentation of Sandra.
• “Trusting the promise of Governor Salomón Jara to deliver Sandra to us alive, we gave time to the authorities let my sister return to us, however, they did not comply and that deadlineis already passed.” – Kisha Domínguez, sister of the activist and human rights (HR) advocate
• During the ongoing administration of Salomón Jara Cruz, 686 missing women and 205 femicides have been registered

33 days since the disappearance of #HR defender and Ayuuk lawyer, Sandra Domínguez Martínez, and in view of the increasing harassment and intimidation to legal personnel and other people involved in the case, family members, groups and organizations announced today the installation of an indefinite sit-in in front of the Government Palace, until achieving her alive presentation.

In a press conference, it was denounced that their lawyers, other people involved and relatives have been victims of monitoring, surveillance and intimidation when they were harassed by people dressed in black on board on motorcycles, with the purpose of intimidating them in order to not continue demanding the alive presentation of Sandra.

Together with Aracely Martínez Villanueva and Kenia Domínguez Martínez, mother and sister of Sandra, as well as Yésica Sánchez Maya, member of the Collegiate Management of Consorcio Oaxaca, and Kisha Domínguez, also Sandra’s sister, stated that the family had trusted the authorities because they have all the resources and infrastructure to obtain her location. However, she said: “they only repeat the same information, without having substantive progress, they already wore us down, they already intimidated us and Sandra is still missing.”

Therefore, “trusting the promise of Governor Salomón Jara to deliver Sandra to us alive, we gave time to the authorities let my sister return to us, however, they did not comply and that deadlineis already passed.”

Meanwhile, Yesica Sánchez Maya, member of the Collegiate Management of Consorcio Oaxaca, regretted that 33 days after her disappearance, the state government has not found Sandra; she also questioned the authorities’ management of the case, because although information tables have been installed, they have not carried out an effective search, having all the scaffolding to locate it, but – as she said – they have a lack of intention to do so.

“A few days ago the governor gave the family the direct telephone number, they sent him a message asking him and he has not answered them; so what’s the point of having a direct line with the governor who at the table says that he is committed but just does not answer a message from a mother who is asking him when he is going to bring back her daughter?”, Sánchez Maya asked.

She, who is also a lawyer, stated that this fact “leaves us helpless and in rage, because I wish Sandra’s case was an individual case”. And she emphasizes the 686 disappeared women and the 205 femicides recorded so far during Solomon Jara Cruz administration.

Furthermore, she highlighted that this fact, combined with the recent femicide of the nurse Judith Vianey, as well as the femicide of Adriana and Virginia in the early hours of today, puts an alert on Oaxaca. “We are scared that none of us can be safe from the decomposition and lack of capacity of the State to guarantee life and security, the terror which arose in Oaxaca, in addition to these numbers it is very serious ,” she remarked.

Hence, she put the responsibility to Governor Salomón Jara and his cabinet for any incident against the family security. “Sandra has the right to be alive and to be among us and the State has denied us that right”, she concluded.

“We tell the Governor, we are not going to remain silent! We demand that you bring Sandra Domínguez Martínez back alive! We ask society to do not leave us alone, the pain of not knowing about the situation of our sister, daughter and mothers has words!”, Sandra’s mother concluded, who was accompanied by the slogans of the attendees at this public event.