Oaxaca: People march for the “liberation of the 12 political prisoners in Loxicha”

Fuente: http://www.europazapatista.org

The “Liberation of the 12 political prisoners of Loxicha” march began on June 8^th with family and friends of the prisoners directing towards Mexico City to demand the release of the “12 prisoners unjustly held without charges or evidence of their supposed involvement with the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR).” The march, which began in Loxicha, Oaxaca, is made up of the family and friends of the 12 prisoners which are being accompanied by organizations that adhere to the Other Campaign and other organizations, collectives, and groups that stand in solidarity with their cause. During their march they will pass through the cities of Miahuatlán, Ocotlán, residential developments outside of Oaxaca, Nochixtlán Tlaxiaco, Hujauapán de Leon, Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla, and Mexico City.

It has been twelve years sine the indigenous Zapotecs from San Agustín Loxicha were jailed and accused of being part of the EPR along with other federal offenses such as terrorism, sabotage, conspiring, and murder—trumped up charges according to many people. All were sentenced to between 13 and 32 years in prison. Along with “the misery they feel for being officially abandoned to the system, the prisoners also experience repression from the authorities in the form of arbitrary detention” according to the communiqué issued by the National Center for Social Communication (CENCOS). Because of the supposed presence of the EPR in the region, more than 130 villagers have been detained and about 200 remain in hiding due to arrest warrants that have been issued for them. Many families chose to migrate “due to the fear of being arbitrarily detained” according to this same communiqué.

The twelve “prisoners of conscience from Loxicha, Oaxaca” are:

Álvaro Sebastián

Estanislao Martínez Santiago

Fortino Enríquez Hernández

Abraham García Ramírez

Agustín Luna Valencia

Cirilo Ambrosio Antonia

Ricardo Martínez Enríquez

Mario Ambrosio Martínez

Urbano Ruiz Cruz

Justino Hernández José

Eleuterio Hernández García

Zacarías P. García López

For more information, please visit:

Familiares de los 12 presos políticos de la región Loxicha iniciarán marcha hacia la Ciudad de México; MAIZ/Cactus/APIM (04/06/2009)

Movilización por los presos de Loxicha, CENCOS (06/06/2009)

Movilización por la libertad de los presos de Loxicha, CENCOS (06/06/2009)

Carta de los 12 presos políticos y de conciencia de la Región Loxicha (01/06/2009)

Loxicha: 8 de junio inicia una Marcha Caravana, carta de los presos en coordinación con el Colectivo Zapatista de Oaxaca (08/06/2009)