Perpetrator in the murder of Father Marcelo Perez Perez convicted

On 6 August, a judge in the Federal Criminal Justice Court in the Mexican state of Chiapas handed out a 20-year prison sentence against Edgar “M” for the aggravated homicide of human rights defender Marcelo Pérez Pérez. The investigations were carried out by the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR), through the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights (FEMDH), and with legal advice provided by the Minerva Bello Human Rights Centre (Centro de Derechos Humanos Minerva Bello)^[1]

The sentence is issued followed an abbreviated procedure, which implies that the accused acknowledges the charges against him, in exchange for a reduced sentence. Such a legal procedure seeks to avoid a trial on the basis of the defendant’s admittance, and it means that the evidence collected is not presented. Consequently, the prosecution´s evidence will not be heard in open court, which limits the means through which a comprehensive demonstration of what occurred at the scene of the crime. This is relevant since it has an impact on the collective aspect of the right to truth; the right that the wider society has to know what happened in the murder of Father Marcelo.

Meanwhile, the fact that Edgar “M” has undergone an abbreviated procedure does not necessarily determine the situation of the other defendants, as individual criminal responsibilities are involved. Therefore, the other defendants have yet to face justice. The conviction of Edgar “M” only closes the investigation into the direct perpetration of the crime. However, the criminal responsibility of those who planned, participated in or facilitated the murder remains to be determined.

It represents more than an isolated crime

It is important to point out that the murder of Father Marcelo, far from being an isolated crime, is part of a long-standing conflict in the Chiapas highlands and of a general dynamic of violence in the state of Chiapas and in Mexico, directed at human rights defenders.

Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez, a member of the indigenous community Tzotzil, priest in the parish of Guadalupe in San Cristóbal de las Casas and human rights defender, was shot dead on the morning of Sunday 20 October 2024 in front of the church in the Cuxtitali neighbourhood, where he was leaving after celebrating mass. His life´s work in the defence of human rights in the state of Chiapas earned him support and acolaids from national and international public figures such as the then recently elected President of the Republic Claudia Sheinbaum, the late Pope Francis or the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor. Various bodies have publicly called on the Mexican state to conduct a thorough and effective investigation into his murder, and to acknowledge that the crime was committed as retaliation for the work he has done defending human rights[2]. The man now sentenced for the crime was arrested just two days after the murder[3]

The life of Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez

Father Marcelo was born in San Andrés Larráinzar, in the highlands of Chiapas, and became a priest in the parish of San Antonio de Padua in Simojovel in 2011. From then on, he initiated peace-building and mediation actions in the area, working closely with authorities, communities and organisations such as Las Abejas de Acteal. These human rights activities exposed both him and other actors involved to a high level of risk, which culminated in the murder of human rights defender Simón Pedro, president of Las Abejas de Acteal, in July 2021. On 10 August of the same year, the Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice, who was investigating the violence in the region, was also shot dead in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

For Father Marcelo, his intercommunity mediation activities were fundamental tools for peace building. He was subjected to harassment and defamation- In July 2022 an arrest warrant was issued against him, which was never carried out. The warrant was issued despite the fact that he was the beneficiary of precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)[4]

SweFOR expresses concerns

While we at SweFOR welcome the sentence against Edgar “M”, we would also like to argue that only by bringing those who instigated this crime to justice, can true justice be found. As stated by the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic, which has also been supported by international bodies such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights[5]; the investigation continues in order to determine the responsibilities of other persons involved and to comply with the arrest warrants in force as part of this case[6]

Moreover, it concerns us that there is the lack of recognition of Father Marcelo’s role as a human rights defender, as well as the failure to consider that his murder was motivated by this. His murder has now been condemned without this being considered as an aggravating factor in the sentence.

Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez was accompanied by SweFOR since 2015. In his 23 years of work, he has been a key figure in the defence of human rights and peace building in Chiapas, accompanying movements and peoples in their struggles for land, territory and access to truth and justice. SweFOR urges that the investigation into his murder continue, taking into account his life work as a human rights defender, as well as the fact that he faced multiple aggressions against his person for over more than a decade.

[1] Centro de Derechos Humanos Minerva Bello. (2024, 6 de agosto). Comunicado: Sentencia condenatoria en el caso del homicidio del Pbro. Marcelo Pérez Pérez. Recuperado de https://www.dhminervabello.org/post/comunicado-sentencia-condenatoria-en-el-caso-del-homicidio-del-pbro-marcelo-p%C3%A9rez-p%C3%A9rez

[2] Oficina en México del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos (ONU‑DH). (2024, 20 de octubre). ONU‑DH insta a investigar el asesinato del sacerdote y defensor indígena de los derechos humanos, Marcelo Pérez Pérez. Recuperado de HCHR – ONU‑DH México, https://hchr.org.mx/comunicados/onu-dh-insta-a-investigar-el-asesinato-del-sacerdote-y-defensor-indigena-de-los-derechos-humanos-marcelo-perez-perez/

[3] La Fiscalía de Chiapas anuncia la detención del presunto asesino del sacerdote Marcelo Pérez. (2024, 22 de octubre). El País. Recuperado de:http://elpais.com/mexico/2024-10-22/la-fiscalia-de-chiapas-anuncia-la-detencion-del-presunto-asesino-del-sacerdote-marcelo-perez.html

[4] Comisión Interamericana de los Derechos Humanos. (1 de septiembre de 2015). Medida Cautelar No. 506-14. Recuperado de: https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/decisiones/pdf/2015/MC506-14-ES.pdf

[5] ONU‑DH México [@ONUDHmexico]. (2025, julio o fecha exacta desconocida). Tweet: … [Publicación en X]. Recuperado de: https://x.com/ONUDHmexico/status/1953921534621360588

[6] Fiscalía General de la República. (2025, 6 de agosto). Comunicado (Boletín 20659). Recuperado de Fiscalía General de la República: https://www.fgr.org.mx/es/FGR/Nacional/_rid/61/_mod/story?p=1&ord=desc&f=0&categoria=Nacional&suri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.FGR.swb%23fgr_Boletin%3A20659