Citing Human Rights Abuses, Canada Urged to Cut Mexico from Refugee 'Safe' List Marlene Leung - CTVNews
go to original June 20, 2016

Protesters demonstrate against alleged human rights abuses in Mexico, near Downing Street in London (teleSUR)

A new report is calling on Ottawa to remove Mexico from its refugee "safe" list, highlighting the human rights abuses suffered by sexual minorities and people living with HIV in that country.

According to the report, published by the University of Toronto's International Human Rights Program, failure to remove Mexico from Ottawa's designated countries of origin (DCO) list could mean that Canada is violating its international legal obligations.

The 54-page report is based on interviews with more than 50 Mexican healthcare workers, human rights activists, journalists, LGBT community members, and HIV patients.

It found that, while Mexico has enacted an "impressive" array of human rights legislation including universal healthcare for all, vulnerable Mexicans actually have little legal protection. This is especially true for people living with HIV and sexual minorities, the report said.

...The report noted some of the violence sexual minorities face in Mexico. For example:

• In June 2015, unknown armed assailants beat and shot a transgender woman in the head, before wrapping her body in a Mexican flag. The attack, which took place a few days before Mexico City hosted its Pride parade, was apparently a protest against the Mexican Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage, the report said.

• A UN Special Rapporteur found that, between 2005 to 2013, there were 555 reported homicides in Mexico targeting people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The actual number is likely much higher, as many crimes in Mexico go unreported, the report said.

The report also noted some of the barriers and discrimination sexual minorities and HIV patients in Mexico face when accessing healthcare.

Read the rest at CTV News

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