S I S T E R C I T I E S & C I S P E S ACTION ALERT
Demand that the Government of El Salvador Recognize Protesters as Citizens, not Terrorists!
National Call-in Day Monday, July 30
The protestors who were arrested on July 2 in Suchitoto, El Salvador are now being tried under the new "anti-terrorism" law, a law passed with fullpraise from the United States government. This draconian law defines different forms of public protest as terrorism and sentences offenders up to 60 years in prison for such crimes as occupying a public building. For the second time this year, the law is now being used against the social movementin El Salvador, criminalizing acts that do not in any way constitute terrorism! All 13 prisoners have now been given provisional freedom until their trial continues, but the terrorism charges against them stand. The Salvadoran community has expressed concern that the accusation and detainment of these 13 political prisoners represents a major step back fromthe 1992 Peace Accords. The social movement has taken great care to collaborate in monitoring the status of the case, the conditions of the prisoners, and to exert pressure on the government to release the prisoners. While imprisoned, the 13 citizens were threatened by prison employees, denied the rights to receive visits and food from family members, and have failed to receive needed medical attention.
Take Action!
Your action is critical in defending the right to organize and to showing solidarity with those who are struggling to keep water accessible and public in El Salvador.
Call the State Department and demand that the United States government hold the Salvadoran government accountable for these acts.
Call Jeremy Cornforth at the U.S. State Department's El Salvador desk on Monday July 30, National Call-in Day for the Political Prisoners, at 202-647-3505.
For more information, see CISPES updates
http://www.cispes.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=blogcategory&amid=35&Itemid=28
and the Sister Cities website<http://www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org/> .
