[sas-announce] Demand Release of Mexican Human Rights Activist Martin Barrios Hernandez!

[Josh Robinson]

Demand Release of Mexican Human Rights Activist Martin Barrios Hernandez!

Falsely accused of attempting to blackmail a maquila owner, Mexican human 
rights activist Martin Barrios Hernandez is being held in a Puebla state 
prison, locked up in a cell with 14 other prisoners with no chance under 
Mexican law of getting out on bail.

However, growing national and international attention to Barrios' case 
could force Puebla state governor, Mario Marin Torres, to order his 
release as soon as Wednesday, January 4, when there will be a formal 
review as to whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him on the 
criminal charge of blackmail.

Your support is urgently needed to obtain the immediate release of this 
well-respected defender of the rights of maquila workers and indigenous 
communities in the Tehuacan Valley region of the Mexican state of Puebla.

Please write a letter today to Governor Marin Torres.

You can take action on this alert via the web at: 
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/barrios

We encourage you to take action by February 2, 2006

Demand Release of Human Rights Activist Martin Barrios Hernandez

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to the following URL:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/barrios/

----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am writing to urge your government to take immediate action to
ensure that Martin Barrios Hernandez, the president of the
Comision de Derechos Humanos y Laborales del Valle de Tehuacan,
who is being unjustly detained at the San Miguel prison, is
released without further delay.

I urge you to do the following:
* Ensure the immediate release of Martin Barrios Hernandez;
* Take appropriate steps to ensure respect for Martin Barrios'
physical integrity;
* Commit your government to fully cooperate with an independent
investigation regarding these false charges and his improper
arrest and imprisonment; and
* Take appropriate steps to ensure that the 163 workers unjustly
fired by maquila owner, Lucio Gil Zarate, receive their lawful
severance pay.

------------------------------
El motivo de la presente es instar a que su gobierno tome las
medidas necesarias y urgentes para asegurar que Martin Barrios
Hernandez, presidente de la Comision de Derechos Humanos y
Laborales del Valle de Tehuacan, quien esta injustamente preso
en la prision de San Miguel, sea liberado en forma inmediata.

Quisiera instarle a que:
* Asegure la libertad inmediata de Martin Barrios Hernandez,
* Tome las medidas necesarias para asegurar la integridad fisica
de Martin Barrios Hernandez.
* Comprometa a su gobierno a cooperar plenamente con una
investigacion independiente en relacion a estas injustas
acusaciones y su arresto y confinacion inapropiados, y
* De los pasos necesarios para que los 163 trabajadores
despedidos injustamente por el propietario de la maquiladora,
Lucio Gil Zarate, reciban el pago de sus liquidaciones que les
corresponde.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----