2024 brought challenging turning points at both the national and international levels. It was a year of significant operational and organizational changes that strengthened and expanded the PBI Mexico team’s work in the field.
Each month, the PBI team in Guatemala releases a report on the current political situation in the country. Read below for the August 2025 updates.
Eight years after the events, a verdict in the Hogar “Seguro” case
That day, anguish, pain, sadness, and worry overwhelmed these families when the news arrived that the body of Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda, who had been missing, had been returned lifeless. Less than a week earlier, this was the second political prisoner to die, the first being Mauricio Alonso Petrie. Both had fallen victim to recent waves of arrests and were in a state of forced disappearance. Mauricio Alonso had been arrested along with his wife and son on 18 July 2025, while Carlos Cárdenas was detained in mid-August.
Several national and international organizations express our deep concern over the deteriorating conditions for the defense of human rights in Chiapas. This statement follows the break-in at the home of Dora Roblero, Director of the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center (CDH Frayba), as well as the ongoing surveillance, intimidation, and harassment against this organization.
Peace Brigades International extends our deepest condolences on the passing of Colombian human rights defender Yanette Bautista. Yanette was a dedicated human rights defender and the founder of the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation (FNEB), which she founded in memory of her sister, Nydia Erika Bautista, who was forcibly disappeared in 1987.
On September 1, 2025, the Nydia Erika Bautista Foundation posted on social media:
“With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our director and Woman Seeker, Yanette Bautista.
The violent crackdown on protestors in Kenya in 2024, including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention, was a stark reminder that defending our rights comes with enormous sacrifices. We stand in solidarity with those who strive every day for a better world for all.
The growing disconnect between Kenyan political leaders and the citizens they serve, marked by a failure to listen, engage, and prioritize public interest, raises deep concern. Dive deeper into this and more in PBI Kenya’s 2025 Second Quarter Newsletter. Stay informed on everything PBI Kenya has been working on—check it out today!
Around the world, human rights defenders are making significant strides in their pursuit of justice—for themselves, their communities and the planet. The protective accompaniment and multi-level advocacy of PBI can help to provide the security these defenders need to do their work, to catalyze meaningful progress, and to contribute to a more just world. Here’s a brief look at some inspiring recent wins from those we accompany.
Empowering Women Defenders to Win Landmark Cases on Sexual Violence
In our annual report “Peace in Action,” we announced the recruitment of Bill Eisenstein to the PBI-USA National Coordinating Committee (NCC), which serves as our board of directors. Within just a few months of Bill’s recruitment, two additional members joined our team. Read below to learn more about PBI-USA’s new board members and how you too can join our team to help support threatened human rights defenders around the world.
Ellen Furnari