Suchitoto 14: Documentation and Coverage

   

Press Release: Recently Acquitted Political Prisoner Assassinated.  June 10, 2008Salvadoran and International Groups Call for Investigation into Escalating Political Killings in El Salvador

Public Statement re: Political Assassinations in El Salvador.  June 2, 2008.   Statement with more than 200 signers, denouncing killing of Hector Ventura and other politically motivated killings in El Salvador

Social Organizations Demand Investigation of Murders of Activists.  May 13, 2008Diverse organizations from the Salvadoran Civil Society presented a report to the Attorney General of the Republic demanding investigations into the various murders of human rights promoters in El Salvador.  

Hector Ventura of the Suchitoto 14 Assassinated.  May 7, 2008On Friday May 2nd, Hector Antonio Ventura was assassinated in the community of Valle Verde, Suchitoto. Ventura was the youngest of the 14 political prisoners captured in Suchitoto on July 2nd, 2007.

Suchitoto 14 Family Members Hold Government Responsible.  May 5 2008.  A week after the Suchitoto 14 were finally cleared of all charges, Salvadoran communities and family members of the Suchitoto 14 are calling on the Salvadoran Government to be held responsible for their nine month wrongful prosecution. 

Justice Upheld! Judges Reject Appeal against the Suchitoto 13! April 17, 2008The Cojutepeque court has rejected the appeal that Government prosecutors filed on February 27th asking to re-open the trail against the Suchitoto 13 for public disorder and aggravated damages. The 13 defendants, who had been granted ¨Definitive Liberty¨ by the Suchitoto Court on February 19th, are now free from further processing under the law. 

Court Delays Decision on Prosecution’s Appeal in Suchitoto 13 Case.   April 12, 2008More than a week after the legal deadline for a decision, a Cojutepeque appeals court continues to delay its decision on an appeal by the Salvadoran government prosecution to reopen the Suchitoto 13 case.   

Prosecution Appeals Definitive Liberty of Suchitoto 13.   March 6, 2008.   Through appeals court in Cojutepeque prosecution will seek to reopen the trial for Public Disoder and Aggravated Damages

Victory!  An important precedent for human rights in El Salvador.  February 19, 2008.  At the initial hearing scheduled in the Suchitoto district court under new accusations of “Public Disorder” and “Aggravated Damages,” the Judge dropped all the charges and set the 14 defendants free!

 Hundreds Join 3-Day March for Freedom of Political Prisoners.  February 13, 2008.  This update from the march also links to photo and video coverage.

Case Update: Prosecution Reduces Charges, Continues to Allege Criminality; New Challenges Lie AheadFebruary 11, 2008.  Formal accusations were submitted by the Attorney General’s office on February 8th, 2008, more than 7 months after the initial arrest and detention.  The document deviates from original accusations, and changes the classification of the crimes, presenting charges of “Public Disorder” as well as “Aggravated Damages.” 

Suchitoto 13 Update:  Time Expires for the Prosecution.   February 7, 2008.  The case of the ”Suchitoto 13” is at a boiling point as both sides prepare for the upcoming preliminary hearing to present evidence and testimony.  February 8 is the final day that the prosecution has to present its evidence, witnesses, and final accusations.  

Prosecution Requests Extension, Journalist Covering Case is AssassinatedSeptember 21  The Attorney General, through Special Judge Ana Lucila Fuentes de Paz has requested a 6 month extension to the deadline for presenting evidence, in what is seen as a political move, as well as a sign of the weakness of the case.  Simultaneously, Salvador Sanchez, a journalist who had given clear and honest coverage of the issue was assassinated outside his home.

Committee of Family Members of Political Prisoners of El SalvadorSeptember 20.  To national and international public opinion we denounce the stubborn, arbitrary and unjust attitude of the government of the Salvadoran State, against our family members captured last July 2nd in Suchitoto… (more)

Popular Resistance Movement, October 12th: Declaration on the Assassination of the Journalist Salvador Sánchez: September 20.  The organizations represented in the MPR-12 inform the national and international community… (more)

Public Disorder Reforms Passed amidst much Debate.  August 18.  Amidst politically polarized and often heated debate, the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly passed a reform to Article 348 of the Penal Code on Thursday, increasing jail time for public disorder for up to 8 years.

Archbishop Romero at Ninety: “Cease the Repression.” August 16.  In honor of Archbishop Romero’s birthday today, hundreds gathered this morning in San Salvador in commemoration of the Archbishop.  The protesters, members of the Salvadoran social movement and civil society, are once again calling for an end to repression, 27 years after Romero made a similar call. 

Dennis Chinoy: Turning ‘communists’ into ‘terrorists’ in El SalvadorAugust 2.  For the first time since the historic signing of the 1992 peace accords, El Salvador is taking political prisoners, now depicted as terrorists rather than as Communists. This shot across the bow, deploying anti-terrorism statutes to eliminate any space for political expression, could well signal a rapid deterioration of social stability and a return to the bad old days in El Salvador.  Bangor Daily News.

CRIPDES review of trail to date: July 31. Analysis of the advances and threats to the protection of civil liberties in El Salvador with respect to the 13 Political Prisoners, and a review of the trail proceedings against the 13 accused of terrorism.

Prisoners Granted Conditional Liberty, Terrorism Trial Continues.  July 27.  This morning the 9 remaining prisoners originally captured last July 2nd in Suchitoto were granted conditional liberty, and left their respective jails. 

Remaining 9 Prisoners Conditionally ReleasedJuly 26.  This afternoon Judge of the Special Appeals Court in San Salvador granted conditional liberty to the remaining 9 captured in Suchitoto on July 2nd, pending their trail for “acts of terrorism.”

Legislators Debate New Penalties for Creating DisorderJuly 26.  Saca Administration sends proposal for Penal Code changes to Legislative Assembly, to be discussed today.

Testimony of a visit to the Women’s PrisonJuly 20.  Testimony of a July 20th visit to the Political Prisoners captured in Suchitoto on the 2nd of July.  

Appeal Denied, Four Granted Conditional LibertyJuly 20.  At 8:45 pm yesterday July 19th, after hours of deliberation, a Special Penal Court denied an appeal to drop charges of “acts of terrorism” against the 13 people detained in Suchitoto last July 2.

CRIPDES CORDES press release.  July 20.  Reaction to appeal verdict to continue prosecution of 13 for acts of terrorism, four are in conditional liberty. 

Fast for the Freedom of the Political Prisoners of El Salvador.  July 18.  CRIPDES and CORDES announce that starting Wednesday July 18th, the committee of family members of political prisoners of El Salvador, and members of the rural communities will begin fasting and prayer for the freedom of the people detained on the 2 of July in Suchitoto.

Madison Mayor Sends Letter of Concern.  July 18.  Mayor Dave Cieslewicz today sent a letter of concern to Salvadoran President Tony Saca and U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Charles Glazer as well as two other Salvadoran judicial officials.

Letter from Jail, Political PrisonersJuly 16.  In a letter written from the Women’s Prison, Lorena, Rosa, and Haydee of CRIPDES speak. 

Declaration of US-El Salvador Sister Cities.  July 14.  Read the Sister Cities official declaration on the 13 political prisoners of July 2. 

Statement of Amnesty International: July 13.  Amnesty International has issued a statement titled “El Salvador, Demonstrators Victims of Anti-Terrorist Legislation” in Spanish on its website.  Link here, and English version is to come soon.

Congressional Record: July 12.  Read remarks made by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D- PA 2nd District) for the Congressional Record on the situation in El Salvador following the July 2nd arrests, and terrorism charges leveled against community and CRIPDES leaders.

Report on the State of the Political Prisoners:  July 11.  Read the report from visits made by delegations of deputies from the Legislative Assembly and Central American Parliament.

Live Updates: the Verdict is Out, CRIPDES Leaders Charged with Terrorism. July 7. The 14 detainees and CRIPDES leaders were tried today in a Special Tribunal for Acts of Terrorism. Judge Ana Lucila Fuentes de Paz dismissed the charges for 1 detainee, and decreed “Preventative Detention” for 3 months for the other 13, maintaining the terrorism charges and allowing the prosecutors to collect more evidence.

The Case Takes a Dangerous Turn, CRIPDES Leaders Charged with Terrorism. July 5. The 13 people arrested including CRIPDES leaders and community members, are now being charged with “Aggravated Damages, Acts of Terrorism and Injuring a Police

Read letters from the communities:  July 2.  Sistered communities from the municipality of Suchitoto recount their experiences and share testimony of the events of July 2nd, 2007.

CRIPDES Leaders Still in Jail, Reports of Repression. July 2. Widespread reports of repression against protesters in the municipality of Suchitoto.

Protest in Suchitoto, CRIPDES Leaders Captured. July 2. Preliminary information about events that have taken place so far this morning that have led to the arbitrary arrest and continuing detention of CRIPDES leaders by the National Civilian Police (PNC) in the municipality of Suchitoto, Province of Cuscatlán.

Analysis of the Salvadoran Anti-Terrorist Law  March, 2007.  Key articles of the law translated and explained..

 

 

 

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