Mobilizations in Oaxaca for the Freedom of Fredy García

The Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA) mobilize in Oaxaca for the freedom of Indigenous political prisoner Fredy García

To the People of Mexico and the World

To the Social and Collective Organizations

To the National and International Human Rights Organizations

To the Free and Paid Media

In the face of flagrant violations of our fundamental rights as Indigenous peoples, the Indigenous and campesino organizations who participate in the Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA) have decided to carry out mobilizations in the capital city of Oaxaca. In a national and international context where Indigenous peoples are trampled upon by major economic interests; where the owners of power and money do not care about destroying the base of our existence as Indigenous peoples, dispossessing and devastating our mother earth, and assassinating and persecuting our defenders; in a state context where government, businesses, political, parties, organized crime, police, and military work in collusion to impose mining, hydroelectric, deforestation, gas pipelines, infrastructure, tourism, privatization of water, and megaprojects like the so-called Interoceanic Corridor, without the least bit of respect for the cultures, social fabric, and territories of our communities, violating our rights enshrined in international treaties; the organizations of COOA want to again denounce the following case:

On November 6, 2019, Fredy García Ramírez, a land and human rights defender of the organization CODEDI, was arbitrarily detained and transferred to the Tanivet prison in Tlacolula de Matamoros. He was arrested while participating in actions in the city of Oaxaca demanding attention and solutions to the demands of the communities that we represent. Crimes were fabricated against the compañero in order to justify his arrest. We have demonstrated constantly that he did not commit these crimes, and that the charges have no basis in fact.

As if that were not enough, using the pretext of the pandemic, his visits have been limited and his hearings postponed. Finally, after over two years in prison, his third and final hearing is scheduled for May 2022. This is a serious violation of his rights. Furthermore, since he arrived to prison, he has engaged in an arduous struggle along with other prisoners to assert their rights, as the conditions in which they are being held are inhumane and degrading. As punishment, Fredy García was isolated from the rest of the prison population. And beneath the argument that “they are orders from above to keep him quiet,” he was beaten on repeated occasions.

These different abuses and violations of his human rights make it very clear that the government of Alejandro Murat Hinojosa is holding Fredy hostage with the intention to keep him this way. His imprisonment is clearly due to his long trajectory of struggle and resistance with Indigenous peoples of the different regions of Oaxaca in demanding what is rightfully ours.

For this, more than two years since his unjust imprisonment, as the organizations that make up the Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA), we protest again to demand the immediate and unconditional freedom of the compañero political prisoner Fredy García. We have said thousands of times that he is innocent. It has been proven. We call on the social organizations, collectives, unions, and human rights organizations to be attentive to these activities and to show solidarity with the compañero who is unjustly imprisoned.

We hold responsible the state government of Alejandro Murat Hinojosa for whatever repression, physical or psychological, carried out against Fredy García or any other compañero. Likewise, in the case of not obtaining answers to our just demand, we will go to the corresponding federal and international institutions.

Free political prisoner Fredy García!

Free all political prisoners!

Oaxaca de Flores Magón

April 19, 2022