Freedom for prisoner Ramiro Aragón Pérez : IMC Worcester

He is being brought up on charges connected to the civil uprising ongoing in Oaxaca. His captors, working on behalf of the State, threatened to hurt his children and rape his wife when they found them, as well as mistreating Ramiro personally.

It takes a minute to sign an online petition for his freedom:

http://www.petitiononline.com/rambirds/petition.html

See also an english translation (original spanish below) on behalf of Ramiro to President Vincente Fox.

If the whole world really is watching, we can help stop the escalating violence in Oaxaca.

Translation

OPEN LETTER

LIC. VICENTE FOX QUESADA
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF MEXICO

LIC. CARLOS MARIA ABASCAL CARRANZA
SECRETARY of the INTERIOR

TO THE PEOPLE OF OAXACA AND MEXICO.

ANOTHER 49 DAYS OF INJUSTICE

The Biologist Ramiro Aragón Perez was kidnapped, early in the morning (pre-dawn) of the 10 of August, when he journeyed past the town of San Felipe del Agua in his automobile (a 2003 navy blue Pointer, which is still missing), along with his brother-in-law professor Elionaí Santiago Sanchez and professor Juan Gabriel Rios (both 24 years old). We did not know of their whereabouts for 18 hours. During this time they were physically tortured with blows, burns, injuries caused with glass and psychologically tortured with threats of death and sexual violation of themselves and their relatives, since the perpetrators knew their identities by means of their personal credentials and other documents that were taken from the vehicle. The three were taken to the district penitentiary of Ejutla de Crespo, given over and detained illegally, since there was no judicial order to such effect, as they had not committed any crime. The following charges were made and “documented” to justify their illegal arrest and detention: Carrying of firearms of exclusive use for the Army, Navy and Air Force. This false accusation was made by the following police officers : Epifanio Hernandez Zuñiga, Oswaldo Orosio Palaces and the official Rodolfo Santiago Perez. According to them Ramiro carried a “mosqueton” that they presented as evidence, with a date of manufacture of 1924, and which the ballistics expert described as a weapon in bad condition with multiple fingerprints, none of them Ramiro’s. The 12th of August Ramiro was moved to the penitentiary of Zimatlan de Alvarez and the 18th of August the formal orders of incarceration were dictated by the Judge 4º of District, which is being appealed through a legal proceeding in progress.

From the moment of detention, the human rights of all three were violated, and the file has many inconsistencies and false testimonies that demonstrate the irregularities and misconduct of the state police forces.

Today, on the 27th of September, we formally presented before the appropriate authorities the offenses that were committed against Ramiro Aragón Perez, for which reason we hoped that justice would prevail and Ramiro would be exonerated of the false criminal accusations and released.

Ramiro Aragón Perez, is a person of impeccable moral quality. His academic trajectory and professional career began in 1999 as a graduate in Biology from the Agricultural Technology Institute of Oaxaca. He has participated in international scientific and academic initiatives, and has collaborated with the Observatory of Birds of Alaska (Alaska Bird Observatory) under the direction of Nancy DeWitt and the Institute for Study of Bird Populations of the State of California, USA (Institute Bird Populations, IBP), under the direction of David F. DeSante. At the moment he is working with John M. Forcey to investigate the population dynamics of terrestrial birds of the South slope of the North Mountain range of Oaxaca and in the translation of the book "the Central Valley Birds of Oaxaca". He has given advanced training courses to young people and women of rural communities of Oaxaca on bird observation and surveys and advised Oaxacan students completing the B.S. Degree in Biology. In the study of and monitoring of migratory neotropical birds he has participated in the establishment and management of stations for the Monitoring of Wonter Survival under the direction of the International Biological Program (IBP). He currently collaborates with the magazine Birds of North America (North American Birds) in the South-Southeastern region and in several projects on in situ conservation of biodiversity in Oaxaca.

All of the undersigned know his research, as well as his professional and moral quality, and we are proud of this young person (30 years old) who has represented Oaxaca and Mexico so well at an international level, through his contributions to the academic and scientific arena. We are distressed and angered that he is deprived of his liberty and at the damage this has caused to his personal, professional, and family life.

"May all who complain justly have a court that will listen, protect and defend them against that which is capricious."

Don José María Morelos y Pavón

CARTA ABIERTA

LIC. VICENTE FOX QUESADA
PRESIDENTE DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS

LIC. CARLOS MARIA ABASCAL CARRANZA
SECRETARIO DE GOBERNACION

AL PUEBLO DE OAXACA Y DE MÉXICO.

OTROS 49 DÍAS DE INJUSTICIA

El Biólogo Ramiro Aragón Pérez fue secuestrado, la madrugada del 10 de agosto, cuando transitaba por San Felipe del Agua en su automóvil (pointer azul marino modelo 2003, aún desaparecido), junto con su cuñado el profesor Elionaí Santiago Sánchez y el profesor Juan Gabriel Ríos (ambos de 24 años). No se supo de ellos durante 18 horas. En este tiempo estuvieron secuestrados y fueron torturados físicamente con golpes, quemaduras, heridas provocadas con vidrio y psicológicamente con amenazas de muerte, violación hacia ellos y sus familiares, ya que conocían su identidad por medio de sus credenciales y otros documentos personales que llevaban en el vehículo. Los tres fueron llevados al penal distrital de Ejutla de Crespo, entregados y detenidos ilegalmente, sin que haya mediado de por medio una orden judicial para tal efecto, ya que no habían cometido ningún delito. Estos fueron fabricados y documentados para justificar su detención: Portación de arma de fuego de uso exclusivo del ejército, armada y fuerza aérea nacionales. Esta falsa acusación fue hecha por los policías preventivos: Epifanio Hernández Zuñiga, Oswaldo Palacios Orosio y el oficial Rodolfo Santiago Pérez, “según ellos” Ramiro portaba un mosquetón que presentaron como prueba, el cual tiene fecha de fabricación de 1924, a la cual el perito de balística, se refiere como un arma en mal estado con múltiples huellas digitales, ninguna de Ramiro. El 12 de agosto fue consignado al penal de Zimatlan de Alvarez y el 18 de agosto fue dictado el auto de formal prisión por la Juez 4º de Distrito, por lo que se presento una apelación que sigue su curso legal.

Desde el momento de su detención, se han violado sus derechos humanos, el expediente tiene muchas incongruencias y falsos testimonios que ponen a la luz el dolo con el que han actuado las fuerzas policíacas estatales.

Hoy 27 de septiembre, se presentaran, ante las autoridades correspondientes, los agravios que fueron cometidos en contra de Ramiro Aragón Pérez, por lo que esperamos que las instancias responsables de la impartición de justicia se apeguen a derecho y pueda ser exonerado del falso delito y puesto en libertad.

Ramiro Aragón Pérez, es una persona de calidad moral intachable, su trayectoria académica y profesional se inició en 1999 como Licenciado en Biología por el Instituto Tecnológico Agropecuario de Oaxaca, ha participado con instancias académicas internacionales como el Observatorio de Aves de Alaska (Alaska Bird Observatory) bajo la dirección de Nancy DeWitt y el Instituto para las poblaciones de Aves del Estado de California, USA(Institute Birds Populations, IBP), bajo la dirección de David F. DeSante. Actualmente junto a Jonh M. Forcey investiga la dinámica poblacional de aves terrestres de la vertiente sur de la Sierra Norte de Oaxaca y en la traducción del libro “Las Aves de Valles Centrales de Oaxaca”. Ha impartido cursos de capacitación a jóvenes y mujeres de comunidades rurales de Oaxaca para la observación de las aves y asesorado estudiantes oaxaqueños de la Licenciatura en Biología. En el ámbito del monitoreo de aves neotropicales migratorias participa en el establecimiento y manejo de estaciones de Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal bajo la dirección de IBP. Actualmente colabora para la revista Aves de Norteamérica (North American Birds) en la región Sur-Sureste y varios proyectos in situ sobre conservación de la biodiversidad de Oaxaca.

Todos los que firmamos la presente, conocemos sus investigaciones, su calidad profesional y moral, nos enorgullecemos de que este joven de 30 años ponga en alto el nombre de Oaxaca y de México a nivel internacional, por sus contribuciones al ámbito académico y científico, por lo que nos indigna que se encuentre privado de su libertad y se dañe su trayectoria personal, familiar y profesional.

“Que todo el que se queje con justicia, tenga un tribunal que lo escuche, lo ampare y lo defienda contra el arbitrario”

Don José María Morelos y Pavón