Rights commission: Sonoran officials violated victims’ rights in 15 disappearance cases

The state human rights commission in neighboring Sonora, Mexico, has notified prosecutors of 15 disappearance cases that demonstrate serious failures by authorities.

The human rights commission has identified at least 50 victims — including 23 missing people and 27 family members — who have experienced violations of their rights to life, liberty and justice in disappearance cases reported between 2016 and 2021.

According to the commission, those violations include a failure on the part of the state attorney general’s office to follow required protocols within the first 24 hours of the reported disappearance. And long, unjustified delays in each of the investigations.

The rights commission formally submitted six actions the attorney general’s office must take to address those violations. The office has 15 days to respond.