A bill being considered by Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies would severely restrict the work of civil society groups in Mexico and violate Mexico’s international legal obligations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International (AI)said today.
Legislators should shelve the proposal, AI said in a press release.
The bill, introduced by a legislator from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s party, Morena, which holds a majority in both houses of Congress, “would prohibit non-profit organizations from trying to influence or change laws either through lobbying or through strategic litigation if they receive funding, directly or indirectly, from foreign governments or corporations,” AI said. “The government would have the authority to revoke the non-profit status of organizations that violate the prohibition.”
AI continued: “This proposal could effectively prevent Mexican human rights defenders from participating in debates about public policy, challenging abusive laws in the courts, or discussing how to improve rights protections with lawmakers.”