Mexico's congress passed a law Monday to recognize and protect the rights of crime victims.

The law covers the dead, wounded, kidnapped or missing whether they are ordinary civilians or are members of drug cartels and other crime gangs. It also would cover victims of other crimes, like extortion.

The measure has been approved by both houses of congress and must be signed into law by the president, who supports the move.

The law will establish a national registry of victims and set aside funds to compensate them, financed in part by assets seized from organized crime groups. The compensation payments could reach as high as one million pesos ($77,000) apiece.

The law also requires authorities to make efforts to identify crime victims' remains or locate those who might still be alive.