Demand Release of Human Rights Activist Martin Barrios Hernandez

Unjustly Imprisoned Human Rights Activist Needs Your Support Demand Immediate Release of 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.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Release Martin Barrios Hernandez!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

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.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
January 03, 2006

Background Information

On December 29, Martin Barrios Hernandez, President of the Mexican Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley, was arrested by the intelligence division of the Puebla state police and transported from his home city of Tehuacan to the state capital of Puebla where he is being held in state prison. The arrest comes exactly two years after Barrios was kidnapped and beaten by unknown assailants.

Barrios is accused of blackmail, based on a charge filed by Tehuacan maquila owner Lucio Gil Zarate. In Mexico, there is no possibility of posting bail when facing blackmail charges, and a guilty verdict could result in a 2-10 year prison term.

According to Barrios, the charge is completely groundless, since he was attending an assembly at a local church at the time and date he was alleged to have attempted to blackmail Mr. Gil. Barrios' only contact with Mr. Gil's company has been in carrying out his responsibilities as a human rights advocate in regards to the severance pay owed to 163 workers unjustly fired by Mr. Gil.

Over the past few months, the Commission has been providing advice and assistance to workers employed at the Calidad de Confexiones maquila, which is owned by Mr. Gil. In early November, the Commission assisted workers in filing a complaint before the local Conciliation and Arbitration Board, charging the employer with worker rights violations. On November 10, Gil signed an agreement to resolve the outstanding issues, but, according to the Commission, has failed to comply with the agreement. On November 22, Gil fired all 163 workers who had been part of the original complaint.

The workers responded to the firings by staging peaceful protests outside the local offices of the Conciliation and Arbitration Board, the FROC-CROC (an "official" union that has failed to defend the workers' rights), and Mr. Gil's home, demanding the severance pay they were owned.

Despite the fact that the blackmail charge against Barrios was filed on December 16, he was not informed of the charges until December 29 when he was picked up by the police without warning outside his home as he was going to assist a maquila worker.

The charge against Martin was filed on the same day as independent journalist, Lydia Cacho, was arrested by Puebla state police in Cancun and transported to Puebla on defamation charges brought by maquila owner Kamil Nacif, Mexico's denim king concerning allegations that he was involved in a child prostitution ring. The improper out-of-state arrest has been widely condemned by human rights and journalists' organizations. Barrios has been publicly supporting Cacho.

Gil is a subcontractor for AZT, an apparel company in which Nacif is a part owner. Nacif is also a part owner of in the Tarrant Apparel Group, which closed its factories in 2003 after workers tried to organize an independent union at the Tarrant Ajalpan factory. The Commission provided advice and support to Tarrant workers who lost their jobs as a result of the factory closures. The US and Canadian labour ministries and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have issued reports documenting violations of worker rights in the Nacif-owned factory.

According to the Commission, Martin's arrest is part of an ongoing campaign by maquila owners in the Tehuacan region to discredit and obstruct the work of the Commission. In recent months, maquila owners in Tehuacan have been making public accusations against Martin and the Commission, charging them with organizing protests and strikes that discourage foreign investment in order to blackmail the owners.

Barrios, who is also an advisor to the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute in Tehuacan, is internationally known as a defender of worker, indigenous and environmental rights in Tehuacan, one of Mexico's major apparel producing regions. Last year the Commission was awarded the prestigious Tata Vasco human rights award by Mexico's Jesuit universities.