URGENT ACTION on behalf of Oaxacan Political Prisoners - January 21, 2008

In May of 2006, OaxacanGovernor Ulises Ruiz, with the support for federal Mexican troops detained over 500 people, tortured many, and killed more than a dozen people including U.S. journalist, Brad Will. They are still holding several political prisoners. Please join U.S. based Family Farm Defenders to demand the immediate release of Flavio Sosa and other political prisoners held in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Contact the Mexican Embassy at 1911 Pennsylvania AV, NW, Washington D.C. 20006
Tel: (202) 728 1600
Or send a message using this form:
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/index.php?option=contact&Itemid=6

On January 16, 18 U.S. farmers from Wisconsin, Kentucky and Maine, of the organization, Family Farm Defenders, were denied a visit with political prisoner, Flavio Sosa. Sosa is a prominent leader of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO).

The president of Family Farm Defenders, organic dairy farmer John Kinsman, issued the following statement, “When our neighbors to the South are detained and murdered simply for standing up for democracy and human rights, our elected officials have a responsibility to take action. The vicious crackdown in Mexico is just another ugly face of neoliberal free trade policies. Even our host family in Oaxaca had been imprisoned and tortured by soldiers who had been trained at U.S. taxpayer expense at the School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, GA USA. We will not let this matter rest until justice is served.”

You can contact your U.S. representative and senators to ask for their assistance in pressuring the Mexican government to release Flavio Sosa and other imprisoned leaders of the pro-democracy movement. The Congressional Switchboard is 202-224-3121. To find out how to contact your representative and senators go to: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ and enter your zip code.