FREEDOM FOR ANASTASIA AND PETRONA!
Todos por Guatemala-All for Guatemala together with the Canadian organizations and people listed below, with great concern denounce the following to the national and international community:
- Article 35 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala establishes that freedom of expression and the functioning of independent journalism are fundamental in a democracy; however, those who freely express themselves are the object of criminalization. Especially journalists who report on the defence of nature or the fight against corruption and organized crime. A clear example is that of journalist Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz, director of Xol Abaj Radio and Xol Abaj TV, and activist Petrona Siy Castro, arrested on September 22 this year by the National Civil Police (PNC) in the municipality of Joyabaj, Quiché, in the western region of the country.
- for the crimes of sedition, aggravated assault, arson and aggravated robbery, because Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz, in the course of her journalistic work was covering a demonstration held by a group of Joyabaj residents on August 24 against the local mayor Francisco Carrascosa. Also, for investigating presumed acts of corruption in the Government of Carrascosa in the Joyabaj municipality.
- That, although Guatemalan law establishes that the initial hearing should be held within 24 hours after a person is arrested, their initial hearing has not yet been held. Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz and Petrona Siy Castro are being held in preventive detention in Quetzaltenango province. On October 8 they were to have a hearing, but it was postponed using COVID-19 as an excuse. In the same way, the hearing scheduled for October 15 was again postponed.
Because of this we demand:
- That the Guatemalan State respect the country’s laws, in particular Article 35 of its Constitution, which establishes freedom of expression and the functioning of independent journalism; and that it orders immediate freedom for journalist Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz and activist Petrona Siy Castro, because to report and demonstrate is not a crime.
- hat the Minister of the Interior, Oliverio García Rodas, investigate the National Civil Police agents who participated in the illegal arrest.
- hat the Office of Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor also investigate the judge who ordered the arrest, as well as mayor Francisco Carrascosa.
We invite human rights entities and individuals of the national and international community to unite their voices and denounce this situation to protect the rights of Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz and Petrona Siy Castro.
Canada, October 25, 2020
#NoMoreRacism #FreedomOfExpression
#FreedomForAnastasia #FreedomForPetrona
TODOS POR GUATEMALA/ALL FOR GUATEMALA – KITCHENER, HAMILTON, LONDON, TORONTO, OTTAWA, MONTREAL – CANADA
AMANDLA – CKUT. 90.3 FM MCGILL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY RADIO – RADIO COMUNITARIA UNIVERSIDAD DE MCGILL – MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
BC CASA-CAFE JUSTICIA – CANADA
COMITÉ POR LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS DE AMERICA LATINA (CDHAL) – LATIN AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (CDHAL) – MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
CONSENSUS MULTIMEDIA – CANADA
FUNDACION RIGOBERTA MENCHU TUM, REPRESENTACION CANADA
GUATEMALA COMMUNITY NETWORK (GCN) – TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
KITCHENER-WATERLOO MAYAN PROJECT – ONTARIO, CANADA
LATIN AMERICA CANADA ASSOCIATION (LACASA) – CANADA
LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN SOLIDARITY – NETWORK (LACSN)
MARITIMES-GUATEMALA BREAKING THE SILENCE NETWORK (BTS) – ROMPIENDO EL SILENCIO GUATEMALA-MARITIMAS – CANADA
MONTREAL ELDERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE – CANADA
OLDER WOMEN LIVE COLLECTIVE (OWL) – CKUT. 90.3 FM MCGILL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY RADIO – RADIO COMUNITARIA, UNIVERSIDAD DE MCGILL – MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
PLATAFORMA CANADA GUATEMALTECAS Y GUATEMALTECOS EXILIADOS POR TERRORISMO DE ESTADO – PLATFORM OF GUATEMALANS EXILED IN CANADA
PROJECT ACCOMPAGNEMENT QUÉBEC-GUATEMALA (PAQG) – PROYECTO ACOMPAÑAMIENTO QUEBEC-GUATEMALA (PAQG) – QUEBEC, CANADA
TZIJOLAJ GUATEMALA – CANADA
Annabella Jiménez – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Andrea Currie, Canada
Ann Manicom, Canada
Anne Schlenker – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Bernie Hammond, PhD, Professor Emeritus, King’s University College, Western University – London, Ontario, Canada
Betty Darby – Nova Scotia, Canada
Dirh Groenenberg – Canada
Dolores Bautista – Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Doug RIgby – Canada
Elizabeth Kendler – Vancouver, Canada
Enedelio López Herrera- London, Ontario, Canada
Gerald E. Rowe – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Guy Quinn – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Janelle Frail – Canada
Joan McFarland – Canada
Julio Cerén – Canada
Kathryn Anderson – Canada
Keely Carter – Canada
Leah Alexandra Huff – Sackville, NB
Lenora Yarkie – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Leo Cheverie – Canada
Lesvia Vela – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Linda Scherzinger – Canada
Lisa Rankin – Canada
Lydia Jenkinson – Canada
Marcela Bautista – Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Margaret Greene – Canada
María José Yax-Fraser, PhD Candidate, York University – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Marie France Arismendi – London, Ontario, Canada
Mary Rigby – Canada
Mary Ellen Davis – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Nanci Lee – Canada
Pip Strachan – Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, Canada
Robert McBryde – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Ron Leitold – Martin’s River Nova Scotia, Canada
Rose Marie Whalley – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Ruth Taylor – London, Ontario, Canada
Sandra Langley – Victoria, Brisith Columbia, Canada
Susanne Litke – Canada
Shirley Pattifer – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Simon Granovsky-Larsen – Canada
Dr. Valerie Raoul, Professor Emerita (French/Hispanic Studies and Women’s Studies/Social Justice Institute), University of British Columbia – Vancouver BC, Canada
Yvette Michaud – Canada
