We publish the following complaint that we have
received:
On Friday, August 9, 2024, there was a great sit-in at
the Palace of Justice, in support of the Cusco community members sentenced to 6
to 7 years in prison for raising their voice in protest. The people demand
their freedom. Every Peruvian has the right to free expression. Where is it
established that a Peruvian can be sentenced to 6 to 7 years for raising his
voice in protest against a fascist, genocidal and traitorous government? It
doesn't exist, gentlemen. Only in Peru does this happen. Abuse of justice
occurs. There is no sentence for the real thieves, murderers, and genocidaires.
They remain free, killing, stealing. Enough is enough!!!
The information:
For Protests against the fascist, genocidal and
traitor Dina Boluarte: PJ ratifies 6-year prison sentence for young protesters
in Cusco
The Quechua-speaking protesters belong to the peasant
community of Cuyo Grande. Their families reported that they will continue to
mobilize to demand the review of the case of their children, who have already
been serving a year and a half in prison.
They denounce contempt for peasant communities
The young people have been held in the Quencoro prison
since January 31, 2023, that is, for a year and a half, and, despite efforts to
obtain their freedom, the Judiciary continues to deny them this possibility due
to the lack of home confinement.
One of the controversial points in this case is that
the first instance judge did not take into account the low educational level of
the young people, who also received inadequate advice from their lawyers,
according to the new defense.
They point out that the decision issued on February
28, 2024 is based on a plea bargain, which was reached through an early
conclusion process, which allows the accused to accept their responsibility in
exchange for a more lenient sentence, thus avoiding a lengthy trial.
The Cuyo Grande community, together with its leaders,
has expressed deep concern about the sentence and criticized the indifference
of the institutions towards their situation, arguing that the authorities are
not considering their cultural and socioeconomic context or the conditions
under which the judicial process was carried out.
Along these lines, a member of the community expressed
his frustration, highlighting that this situation reflects a marginalization
and lack of respect towards indigenous communities.
“None of the appeals we have submitted have been taken
into account. Both the Public Prosecutor's Office and the court have ignored
our requests. The saddest thing for us is that, as indigenous communities, they
have not even listened to us. They treat us as if we were just another
community and, in other words, they marginalize us.”
He added that the lack of attention to their demands
and the disregard for their particular contexts foster a feeling of injustice
and abandonment. In this sense, the struggle for the freedom of the young
people will continue.