José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch

Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies should swiftly approve the human rights reforms to the constitution passed by the Senate on April 8, 2010, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the Chamber’s Political Coordination Committee.

The proposed changes to the constitution include measures to protect basic rights. In particular, the legislation passed by the Senate affirms the relevance of international law; clearly lays out the circumstances under which a state of emergency may be declared and procedures that must be followed; empowers the National Human Rights Commission to conduct unobstructed investigations and hold state actors accountable for violations; and protects against the arbitrary expulsion of foreigners.

“Approving these reforms would constitute a major step toward establishing greater protection for human rights in Mexico, and would lay a solid legal foundation for the state’s commitments in international treaties,” Human Rights Watch said in the letter to members of the committee. “We strongly urge your party members, and the Chamber as a whole, to approve the reforms before the end of the current legislative period.”

Source: Human Rights Watch