Rosa Isela Pérez, awarded for her defense of human rights in Ciudad Juárez
Next December 10, the Spanish Law General Council will award the Human Rights prize for the media to Rosa Isela Pérez for investigation on crimes committed against women in Ciudad Juárez.
Risking her relatives´ and her own life, Rosa Isela reported on the many irregular situations in investigations and denounced impunity and links among the crimes, authorities, important business men and organized crime. Her reports, which included more information than the ones presented by the authorities, attracted national and international attention.
This reporter, who used to work for the Human Rights Centre, Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez of México linked to the Society of Jesus, had to end up fleeing her country because her life was at risk. A few months ago, she was granted political asylum in Spain where she currently lives with her family.
Due to the many victims produced by the so called war against drug traffic carried out by president Felipe Calderón, impunity and violation of human rights in Ciudad Juárez is under scrutiny; as also the vulnerable situation of migrants from all Latin America who cross the country to reach the US and are kidnapped or murdered by the drug cartel. Currently, Entreculturas is working on strengthening the Jesuit Refugee and Migrant Service to fight this situation.