From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: Urgent Action for Peru
Date: 11 Sep 92 23:46:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700447:000:4575
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep 11 16:46:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Urgent Action for Peru


/* Written  4:33 pm  Sep 11, 1992 by jkawell in cdp:ppn.peru */

The following is a  translation of excerpts from an urgent action
alert received from the Peruvian human rights group APRODEH
regarding the arrest of a Peruvian human rights worker in Cuzco,
Jose Ramirez Garcia.  Ramirez Garcia has been active since 1988 in
promoting the creation of a human rights information and data
exchange in Peru. He has been charged as a "subversive" because of
possession of documents and computer materials connected to his
human rights work.  This is a very serious charge under recent
revisions in Peruvian law, and could result in lengthy
imprisonment.

This case should especially concern all of us who are trying to
promote the exchange of information about the situation in Peru, as
it demonstrates the ability of Peruvian authorities to use the
possession of certain informational materials to harrass and
intimidate human rights workers.

I urge you to respond to APRODEH's request.

Jo Ann Kawell, ppn.peru coordinator 
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"Dear Friends,

We wish to ask for your help in obtaining the release of a friend
and colleague [Jose Ramirez Garcia]  who was arrested in Cuzco and
charged with belonging to Shining Path, despite the fact that there
is no evidence [for the charge].  Pepe has worked with us for more
than more four years, principally in the organization of a National
Network for Human Rights Documentation.   Below are some details on
his case.

[The following is a summary of APRODEH's report on the case:]

Jose Ramirez Garcia was arrested by police in the city of Cuzco on
August 17 while he was photocopying a book by journalist Simon
Strong called Shining Path: The Deadliest Movement in the World
[note: the book is highly critical of the Shining Path guerrilla
movement, not supportive of it]. Ramirez was taken to the local
headquarters of the government counter-"terrorism" unit.

Later, his house was searched and, according to a local judge,
police confiscated the following materials that will be considered
evidence  of  Ramirez Garcia's links to armed groups: "books,
documents, photocopies of "El Diario" [the Shining Path newspaper],
pamphlets, statistical charts of subversive actions, a "Samsung"
computer with 5 1/4" diskettes (five of them containing information
on subversive actions by Shining Path in parts of Cuzco), a list of
police officials in Puno, and a 'Galand' revolver."

Judicial officials said  that Ramirez Garcia's statement that he
was a social researcher was not "credible" because of the nature of
the confiscated materials.

APRODEH responds that part of the confiscated materials were, in
fact, files and press clippings that the group had given to Ramirez
Garcia in the course of his long-time work with the human rights
group.  Other confiscated documents included material from a
seminar on "The Violent Conditions in Peru and  Bolivia" ,
organized by a Bolivian research center and held in La Paz, Bolivia
in February, 1990.

APRODEH emphasizes Ramirez Garcia's long history of collaboration
with the group, and his key role in the formation of a national
human rights information exchange.  APRODEH has filed a writ of
habeus corpus demanding their colleague's release.

The group requests your urgent action via letters, telex, or faxes,
to the following:

4to. Juzgado de Penal del Cusco       4ta Fiscali'a Provincial
Penal
Dra. Frecia Mendoza de Paredes        Dr. Roonny Jibaja
Palacio de Justicia                   Ministerio Pu'blico
Av. Sol s/n                           Av. Sol s/n
Cusco - Peru'                         Cusco - Peru'

Fiscal Superior Decano del Cusco      Sr. Ministro de Justicia
Dr. Miguel Angel Sanchez Arteaga      Dr.Fernando Vega Santagadea
Av. Sol s/n                           Ministerio de Justicia
Cusco - Peru'                         Av. Emancipacio'n y Lampa
                                      Lima - Peru'

Sr. Presidente de la Corte Suprema    Sra. Fiscal de la Nacio'n
Dr. Luis Serpa Segura                 Dra. Blanca Ne'lida Cola'n
Palacio de Justicia - 2do. Piso       Ministerio Pu'blico
Paseo de la Repu'blica s/n            Edificio Torre de Lima
Lima - Peru'                          Centro Ci'vico
                                      Lima - Peru'


"If it is not possible to write all " APRODEH says," we ask you to
contact the first three.  We thank you in advance for your help."

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