PHM-Exch> 10 political prisoners in Ecuador

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Erika Arteaga <erikarteaga at yahoo.com>

SOLIDARITY AGAINST THE CRIMINALIZATION OF THE SOCIAL STRUGGLE IN ECUADOR.

The People´s Health Movement-Latin America (MSP-LA) and the National Front
for Peoples Health - Ecuador express our deep concern about the processes
that threaten the rights of peoples, communities and individuals.  These
processes include:
1. The acts of criminalization of social struggle which have been
highlighted by reports of human rights organizations and the Ombudsman
office in Ecuador. The reports show dozens of human rights defenders
accused by the government and by private companies, as well as political
activists who have trials against them or who were sentenced on 2011.

2.The illegal detentions that violate Human Rights and the Ecuadorian
Constitution. This last one provides guarantees for the freedom of
association and for free thought, as well as the right to protest.

3. The use of judicial processes, the attempt to delegitimize social
protests and  to restrict the rights of freedom of expression and
organization, as weapons to stop the fair struggle of the peoples against
laws, policies and practices that affect them.

4. Violent evictions and practices.


According to the aforementioned situation we:

- Express our support for the criminalized and unjustly detained people in
Ecuador, particularly the Luluncoto group leaders, the leaders of
Kimsacocha and Shagly and the residents of the community-Muisne Bilsa.

- We demand the government to guarantee the right to previous informed
consent for the communities affected by  any law, policy or potential
measure.

- We urge the government of Ecuador and judicial authorities to drop the
unsustained charges and to return the freedom of all the people detained
arbitrarily. We urge the government to guarantee the due process and to
stop using  legal provisions such as terrorism, sabotage or roads
obstruction, to punish the legitimate exercise of human rights.

- We demand the government to act in accordance with international
agreements that stipulate the obligation of the Ecuadorian State to
promote, protect and respect the right to freedom of expression, peaceful
assembly and association, including protests against policies, laws or
government actions. The Ecuadorian government should refrain from
delegitimize these claims.



December 10, 2012. International Day of Human RightsFrente a lo expuesto:

Dr. Ricardo Ramírez
Frente Nacional
Nidia Solís
MSP-LA (Ecuador)
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