Update on Oct. 2 political prisoners in Oaxaca

October 16, 2009
Translated by Scott Campbell

On the morning of October 11, 2009, after more than a week of remaining kidnapped by the system of injustice which reigns in our state, 10 of our 13 comrades who were arrested on October 2 gained their conditional freedom after a process plagued with irregularities and violations of their individual rights, but with the latent risk that if new elements are gathered they may again be subject to arrest, for which we ask all to be alert of any attempt to deprive them of their freedom.

We continue demanding the absolute freedom of the three comrades who remain kidnapped in the Santa María Ixcotel prison, who are: SOLEDAD GUZMAN RUIZ, GABRIEL MIJANGOS MARTINEZ, and BERNARDO RAFAEL VASQUEZ REYES, as well as demanding their physical well-being inside of the prison as the entire time they have been inside they have been threatened and attacked.

We believe that the repression unleashed on the second of October and the days afterwards is part of a state strategy against the organized people, especially against the youth, who, for thinking, dressing and feeling differently are targets of all the police brutality, proof of which occurred on October 5, when the march demanding the freedom of the October 2 political prisoners made its way from Prepa 2 to the zócalo, two of our young comrades who were leading it were detained. And Wednesday, October 7, the day a rally was held outside of the Ixcotel prison, a surveillance operation was deployed which consisted of patrol cars at the intersections around the prison where the police checked out who was going to the prison to attend the rally. With this we confirm that we are living under a state of siege equal to that of 2006. For this reason we repudiate the ruling of the magistrates of the National Supreme Court of Injustice who have made themselves complicit with the true criminals and murderers (Vicente Fox, Enrique Peña Nieto, Ulises Ruiz, Franco Vargas, etc.). We demand a resolution that conforms to the law – just, ethical and honest.

We again show our respect for the freedom of expression to all those journalists who carry out their work ethically and professionally. We repudiate the infiltration of pseudo-journalists who serve the government in order to attack the social movement.

We are in solidarity with the MEXICAN UNION OF ELECTRICIANS in their just struggle for workers’ rights and against the privatization policies of Felipe Calderón.

WE DEMAND:

1. THE ABSOLUTE FREEDOM OF GABRIEL MIJANGOS MARTNEZ, SOLEDAD GUZMAN RUIZ, BERNARDO RAFAEOL VASQUEZ REYES.
2. THE DROPPING OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THE TEN FREED PRISONERS.
3. AN END TO THE HARASSMENT OF THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT AND THE LIBERTARIAN YOUTH OF OAXACA.
4. THE INTERVENTION OF SECTION 22 AS THESE YOUTH ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PEOPLE WHO MOBILIZED WHEN THE TEACHERS ASKED THEM TO IN 2006.
5. WE DEMAND THAT THE SENSATIONALIST PRESS CARRY OUT THEIR WORK ETHICALLY AND HONESTLY.