On 18 April the Voz de Amate, an organization of prisoners who are adherents to the Other Campaign published a communiqué stating that “Because of the justice system in Mexico, especially in Chiapas, there have been violations of human rights that continue with massive incarcerations of those men and women who demand justice for their peoples and communities that are subsequently forced to pay unjust sentences with fabricated crimes without regard for their conditions or life-situations.” In the specific case of Alberto Patishtan Gómez the document denounces that he “suffers the loss of sight in both eyes as a result of his condition of glaucoma; until now he has served 11 years unjustly, even though Chiapas governor Juan Sabines Guerrero has publicly committed himself to releasing him, given that he recognizes [Patishtan Gómez’s] innocence. Today no one knows about the acts, and for this reason we continue to demand that the governor and President Felipe Calderón work to soon release the political prisoner Patishtan. In other news we call on human-rights defenders, collectives, and organizations to intervene in this great rights-violation and at the same time we continue to demand justice and liberty for all political prisoners.”
For more information (in Spanish):
Denuncia de la Voz del Amate, 18 April 2011
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Chiapas: Fifth anniversary of the “Voz de Amate” (8 January 2011)
– Chiapas: the case of Alberto Patishtán Gómez presented before the IACHR, and denunciation by la Voz de Amate (10 August 2010)
– Chiapas: visit to observe 2011 call for “jTatic Samuel jCanan Lum” Honor denied (30 July 2010)
Chiapas: prisoner Alberto Patishtán Gómez’s latest communiqué and its coverage by La Jornada (19 July 2010)
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