Freedom for the Five Prisoners of San Juan Cancuc, Chiapas

Statement calling for the freedom of the five prisoners of San Juan Cancuc, Chiapas from the working group No Estamos Todxs

To the EZLN.
To the CNI.
To our compañerxs of the Sixth.
To our compañerxs who defend human rights.

To those who fight against prisons, both from the inside and on the outside of them.
And, above all, to our five comrades imprisoned in San Juan Cancuc and their families.

More than three years ago, we learned of the injustice committed by the Mexican state and this bad government when they arbitrarily detained our five comrades from San Juan Cancuc. A few months after their arrest, we had the honor of beginning to accompany them. It has been more than three years of getting to know them and their families; of having deep conversations; of sharing Sunday meals and laughter; of listening to their dreams shattered since they were imprisoned; of feeling anger, but also hope. Throughout this time, they have shown us the steadfastness of their quest for justice and the dignity of their struggle for freedom.

We have to state clearly: we have never doubted their innocence. Their real “crime” in the eyes of the bad government is being poor, indigenous, and, above all, defenders of the land and territory. Over the past three years, we have witnessed the bad government’s constant contempt for them. They have faced two trials riddled with violations of due process, demonstrating that this government does not seek justice. Their judicial process is a clear example of what has been denounced for years: the fabrication of guilt, a key part of a system where the “justice” of the Mexican state produces its own guilty parties, in which it is no longer necessary to commit a crime to be accused, detained, and sentenced.

During these years of accompanying and fighting for the freedom of our five comrades, we have opened up different fronts: legal, political, and organizational. The demand for justice has been taken to different authorities and locations. As a result, in September 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited Mexico and Chiapas. After receiving information from various sources, the Working Group issued an opinion requesting that the Mexican government immediately release our five comrades; grant them the effective right to compensation for damages; and conduct a thorough investigation of the responsible authorities, in accordance with international law. The struggle on all these fronts continues.

That said, the purpose of these words that arise from our collective and militant heart is to echo up there, where contempt for those of us who live, organize, and fight down here is nested: we will not stop standing together and fighting alongside our imprisoned comrades and their families. Each day that passes is one day less of justice, one more day of separation between our comrades and their families, and one more day that we will continue to fight. Their innocence has already been proven time and time again. More and more voices are crying out for justice; organizations, collectives, and individuals in many corners of the world are joining this cry. Let it be clear: we will not stop fighting for a single day until we see our comrades free.

We invite everyone listening to join this struggle, in whatever way, time, and form suits each person, organization, or collective. We also want to let you know that in the coming days we will share new proposals for action. Therefore, we ask you to stay tuned to the campaign for the freedom of our five comrades.

We know that what is happening to them is not an isolated case. Prisons are always full of those of us who live at the bottom of the pyramid, while those at the top are never to be seen there. That is why we continue to strive for other forms of justice and for the end of prisons.

Cheers.

Sincerely,

No Estamos Todxs Working Group

“Down with prison walls”

 

Translated by Schools for Chiapas