Image @ Koman Ilel
On 6 March the Supreme Court for Justice in the Nation (SCJN) decided not to review its competence regarding the case of professor Alberto Patishtán Gómez, from the El Bosque municipality of Chiapas. The decision was taken on the basis of the project of the justice Olga Sánchez Cordero, who had suggested new hope to favor the cause of Patishtán, given that, if he had been judged according to the criteria approved by the Primary Hall in recent years, surely he would have been released due to the grave violations of due process which occurred during his trial.
Manuel Velasco Coello, governor of Chiapas, affirmed that the Tzotzil indigenous man Alberto Patishtán Gómez, who had been imprisoned since 2000, “should be released.” In a communiqué, he assured that Patishtán Goméz, who has been sentenced for 60 years, “should be granted a recognition of his innocence.” “The SCJN’s decision should have favored the release” of Patishtán, reiterated the governor.
Now, the case returns to a court in Tuxtla Gutiérrez. “There still remains racism within Mexican justice,” claimed Patishtán’s defense team. It is hoped that the new process will last three weeks in arriving to the tribunal in Tuxtla. All indications show that this court could decide on the resource of innocence.
For more information (in Spanish):
Patishtán debe ser puesto en libertad: gobernador de Chiapas (La Jornada, 7 de marzo de 2013)
SCJN: Doce años de injusticia son insuficientes para Alberto Patishtán(Centro de Medios Libres, 7 de marzo de 2013)
“Estamos gobernados por la injusticia”: Patishtán tras negativa de la Corte (La Jornada, 6 de marzo de 2013)
Rechaza la SCJN resolver el caso del profesor indígena Alberto Patishtán (La Jornada, 6 de marzo de 2013)
Rechaza el caso de alberto la SCJN (Blog de Alberto Patishtán, 6 de marzo de 2013)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Mexico/Chiapas: Alberto Patishtán should be immediately released, notes Olga Sánchez Cordero (5 March 2013)
Mexico/Chiapas: The SCJN admits the Patishtán case (12 October 2012)
Mexico/Chiapas: Postponement of the SCJN’s decision on the Patishtán case (12 October 2012)
Chiapas: Alberto Patishtán loses his sight, and request on his part (28 September 2012)
Mexico/Chiapas: Request for recognition of innocence of Alberto Patishtán before the SCJN (19 September 2012)
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