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Mexico’s Supreme Court Strikes Down Sonora’s Permit Requirement for Protests

The unanimous decision preserves a notice provision solely for logistical coordination, blocking its use to restrict demonstrations.

Overview

  • By unanimous vote, the SCJN invalidated Article 109 of Sonora’s Mobility and Road Safety Law as unconstitutional prior censorship of public demonstrations.
  • The ruling arose from a CNDH action of unconstitutionality that challenged Articles 109 and 110 of the 2024 state statute.
  • Article 110 remains in force only under a narrow reading that treats notice as communication for protection and logistics, not as an authorization.
  • The Court clarified that lack of notice cannot justify preventing, dissolving, or sanctioning a protest, and that spontaneous demonstrations are protected.
  • Authorities may intervene only when conduct during a protest constitutes actual crimes or administrative infractions, not based on a protest’s object, theme, or message.