International Publishers Association backs Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial in Mexican censorship case

The Reader Times desk 20 October 2026 Based on International Publishers Association reporting

Engraved illustration of a writer’s study with books, a desk and warm window light. — Editorial illustration for The Reader Times.

The IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee supports PRH Grupo Editorial’s appeal against a Mexican ruling that threatens the circulation of Karla de la Cuesta’s non‑fiction book Todo a la Luz.

Jessica Sänger, chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, said authors and publishers of non‑fiction are repeatedly targeted by SLAPP lawsuits, citing the Todo a la Luz case as an example of extreme legal suppression.

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial described the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) resolution as “pure censorship” and warned that it creates a veto right for any person named in a journalistic investigation, potentially silencing criticism of public figures.

PRH Grupo Editorial has filed a judicial appeal, supported by an amicus brief from the International Publishers Association.

The Mexican Publishers Association (CANIEM) and PEN International have also issued statements condemning the decision and calling for protection of editorial freedom.

The case highlights broader concerns about freedom of expression in Mexico, with the IPA pledging to back PRH Grupo Editorial throughout the legal process.