Ecuador activist Monika Silva's death prompts UN call and domestic criticism

Monika Silva Koniuszek, a Polish‑born Ecuadorian activist, was found dead in her Montañita host‑el on 8 June 2026. The interior minister initially suggested suicide, but an autopsy showed a head injury and signs of hanging or strangulation, leading prosecutors to keep a femicide investigation open.

The United Nations special‑rapporteur on human‑rights defenders said the case is “far from isolated” and urged Ecuador to guarantee protection, launch a rapid, exhaustive, independent and transparent investigation, and prosecute any perpetrators.

Ecuador’s Defensoría del Pueblo has not issued a public statement on the case. Human‑rights groups criticize the office for inaction, with one activist calling it “now a decorative institution.”

International actors, including the European Union and Poland’s diplomatic mission, have requested foreign experts to take part in a second autopsy, emphasizing the need for a thorough inquiry into Silva’s death.