Sign the petition for the Freedom of Political Prisoner Alberto Patishtán

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This month a court in Mexico will decide whether the political prisoner Alberto Patishtán is freed or will spend another 48 years in prison.

Patishtán is an indigenous Tzotzil teacher, who was very politically active in his community when he was arrested on June 19, 2000, and unjustly sentenced to 60 years in prison. In prison he has continued to fight for justice, organizing prisoners to demand humane conditions in prisons in Mexico. The Mexican government tried to stop his struggle by sending him to a maximum security prison where he suffered various forms of torture. Thanks to the intervention of civil society, after a year he returned to a prison near his family. 

He was awarded the jCanan Lum Prize in recognition of his struggle for "social transformation in a peaceful manner". The people of his community to this day continue to demand Patishtán’s freedom.

Patishtán suffers from a brain tumour as a result of which he is losing his sight. He had an operation six months ago, but there are not adequate conditions for his recovery within the prison.

Patishtán has not given up and keeps fighting. His case reached the Supreme Court in Mexico where one of the judges said publicly that Alberto Patishtán is innocent and should be released immediately. Unfortunately the Supreme Court sent the case to another court which will decide this month whether he can be released. Overall the judicial system in Mexico is discriminatory, Patisthán is indigenous and therefore public support is important.

Alberto is currently fasting in prison; he calls on civil society to speak out for his freedom, so that justice can finally be achieved.

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