On 27 September, Genaro Gruz Apóstol, Silverio Matías Domínguez and David Valtierra Arango, founding members of the autonomous municipality Suljaa´ de Xochistlahuaca, were sentenced to 3 years and 2 months imprisonment and a fine of 1,753 pesos. According to the communiqué published jointly by the Tlachinollan Mountain Center for Human Rights and Radio Ñomndaa, “they have been since 2004 subject to a fabricated judicial process as suspects responsible for the kidnapping of Narciso García Valtierra, close to then-mayor Aceadeth Rocha Ramírez.”
It should be stressed that “the penal demand integrated in 2004 was only one of the many to which have been subjected members of the Suljaa´ autonomous municipality, Radio Ñomndaa, and those opposed to the cacique, given that in 2007 they were accused of being responsible for the kidnapping of Ariosto Aceadeth Rocha, act that gave rise to 31 fabricated arrest-orders in October 2009, which were found to be baseless, resulting in suspension of charges.”
The communiqué concludes by saying that “the sentence today released demonstrates once again that the justice apparatus lacks impartiality and finds itself linked in a corrupt manner to cacique interests, persecuting social activists who raise their voices in defense of social justice. This justice criminalizes social protest but also grants impunity to those who commit crimes from positions of power.” The Tlachinollan Mountain Center for Human Rights will represent the case before the Superior Triuanl for Justice (TSP).
For more information (in Spanish):
With fabricated proceedings, members of Radio Ñomndaa are condemned to 3 years imprisonment (press-release from the Tlachinollan Mountain Center for Human Rights and Radio Ñomndaa, 27 de septiembre)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Guerrero: David Valtierra released (9 March 2010)
Guerrero: Prison sentence for David Valtierra, founder of Radio Ñomndaa (19 November 2009)
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