The "Ingrid Law" is approved in Chiapas; it seeks to guarantee respect for victims of gender-based violence.

TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ, Chis. (apro).- The Chiapas State Congress approved the "Ingrid Law" on Wednesday, reforming the Penal Code to punish the distribution of images of a victim with up to six years in prison. This includes public officials, citizens, and media outlets that disseminate, photograph, copy, or publish images, videos, audios, documents, or evidence of a criminal investigation into cases of gender-based violence, femicide, and other incidents.

With the approval, the state of Chiapas became the fifth state to legislate on the protection of dignity and privacy. "The reform seeks to prevent re-victimization by protecting the privacy, memory, and dignity of victims and their families," stated the president of the board of directors, Luis Ignacio Avendaño Bermúdez.

Welcoming the passage of the "Ingrid Law," Alma Rosa Cariño, leader of the feminist collective 50 plus 1, stated that the reforms to the state's penal code represent a significant advance in the protection of victims' human rights by criminalizing the unauthorized dissemination of their images or sensitive information.

The majority of legislators approved the addition of Article 424 Bis to the Criminal Code regarding crimes committed in the administration of justice. "The reform seeks to guarantee dignity and respect for victims of violence, to prevent public officials from sharing information that could revictimize them," the legislator stated.

Representative Elvira Catalina Aguiar Álvarez stated in the floor that the reform does not seek to restrict freedom of expression, but rather establishes consequences for officials who violate human dignity. The penalties range from two to six years in prison.

"The right to information should never be placed above the right to human dignity," she stated, explaining that this measure aims to prevent re-victimization, discrimination, and stigmatization, especially of women, girls, boys, and adolescents.

After the Chamber of Deputies approved reforms to the Federal Penal Code on March 23, 2022, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison for public officials who disseminate images of crime victims, the state of Chiapas became the fifth state to legislate with a gender perspective in response to the increase in violence against women, girls, boys, adolescents, and people with disabilities.

The reform seeks to prevent re-victimization by protecting the privacy, memory, and dignity of victims and their families, the Morena legislator emphasized.

By protecting the victim's memory, the families' right to a fair trial is also strengthened, with respect for their psychological well-being and without public exposure that could cause them additional harm, said Representative Avendaño Bermúdez in an interview.