GENEVA – UN human rights experts* today condemned the murder of Sael Silva Cisneros, a lawyer, Afro-Mexican activist and human rights defender, who was killed in an armed attack in Cuajinicuilapa, on the Acapulco-Pinotepa Nacional federal highway, Guerrero, on 5 June 2026.
“We are deeply saddened by the murder of Sael Silva Cisneros and express our heartfelt condolences and solidarity to his family, friends, colleagues and the Afro-Mexican community,” the experts said.
The attack reportedly took place hours after Cisneros participated as a speaker in a seminar in Cuajinicuilapa on “Afro-Mexican dissidences in Guerrero: history, justice and rights”, a forum dedicated to reflecting on the rights, dignity and recognition of Afro-Mexican persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other gender-diverse (LGBT) persons. Cisneros had also met with members of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent during their visit to Mexico last month.
“Any act of violence that undermines the dignity, equality and human rights of Afro-descendants must be unequivocally condemned,” the experts said. “We call on Mexican authorities to conduct a prompt, effective, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into this attack, in accordance with the Minnesota Protocol, to establish the cause, manner and circumstances of death, hold those responsible to account, and provide justice and reparation to his family.”
The experts recalled the important work carried out by Sael Silva Cisneros in support of the rights of Afro-Mexican communities, racial equality, social justice and the opening of more inclusive spaces for persons and communities exposed to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
“This crime must be investigated taking into account all possible lines of inquiry, including his academic, legal, community and human rights work, as well as the context of structural racism, discrimination and violence affecting Afro-descendant, Indigenous and rural communities and persons of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity,” they said.
“The killing of Afro-descendant human rights defenders and community leaders has a profound impact not only on their families and communities, but also on efforts to advance equality, inclusion and justice. It creates a chilling and intimidating effect at the social and community levels, which hinders the exercise of the right to defend human rights,” the experts said.
“Authorities must take all necessary measures to prevent and effectively protect from such violence those who exercise the right to defend, promote and protect human rights, especially Afro-descendant leaders, community activists, researchers and defenders of the rights of LGBT persons, and address the structural conditions that allow such attacks to recur,” they said.
The experts urged the Mexican State to guarantee truth, justice, full reparation and guarantees of non-repetition.
