Vulnerable Groups Minorities

Trials of Minority Groups

TrialWatch is actively tracking cases in which members of minority groups are prosecuted for who they are or what they believe. We are monitoring cases such as: 

• A Russian court in Crimea convicted Nariman Dzhelyal, a Crimean Tatar leader who advocated for a peaceful solution to Crimea’s occupation, to 17 years in prison. There are deep concerns about the reliability of the evidence used against him. TrialWatch has previously documented the use of secret witnesses in other cases against Crimean Tatar advocates, such as Server Mustafayev.
  The Mexican authorities violated indigenous activist Kenia Hernandez’s rights to a fair trial, to freedom from discrimination, and to freedom from arbitrary detention, a TrialWatch report found, giving her recent aggravated robbery trial a grade of D.
• The trial in Indonesia of Suzethe Margaret, who was charged with blasphemy for behaving disrespectfully in a mosque during a period when she was experiencing mental health issues. See full Fairness Report here.
• The trial in Thailand of Wut Boonlert, an indigenous activist charged with criminal defamation for sharing an article about a Parks official. See full Fairness Report here.
• The trial in Russia of Server Mustafayev, a Tatar human rights defender who, along with others, was convicted of terrorism-related offenses, with the defendants given sentences of between 13 and 19 years’ imprisonment. See CFJ statement on medical care for the defendants here. See CFJ statement on Mr. Mustafayev’s conviction here.
• The trial in Guatemala of Abelino Chub Caal, an indigenous leader who was charged with aggravated usurpation, arson, and illicit association.  See full Fairness Report here.
• The trial in Guatemala of Anastasia Mejia, a Maya K’iche’ radio journalist who has previously reported on alleged corruption by local officials. She has been charged with sedition, aggravated attack, arson, and aggravated robbery in connection with her live reporting on a protest.