Defending Human Rights in Mexico

President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Kerry Kennedy and 2010 RFK Human Rights Award Laureate Abel Barrera Hernández were interviewed about human rights conditions in Mexico on CNNMexico on August 5, 2011.

During the interview, held in Mexico City at the conclusion of a delegation to southern Mexico led by Ms. Kennedy, she discussed Mr. Barrera’s extraordinary work with indigenous communities in the state of Guerrero, including his advocacy on behalf of two indigenous women named Ines and Valentina, who were raped and tortured by soldiers in 2002. Both Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Barrera stressed that cases involving allegations of human rights violations committed by the military should be tried in civilian courts in Mexico.

Mr. Barrera also criticized the Mexican government for not “lifting a finger” to help human rights victims and failing to pursue prosecutions.

To watch the video interview (in Spanish), go to: http://mexico.cnn.com/videos/2011/08/08/la-defensa-de-los-derechos-humanos-en-mexico