Freedom for Nestora/Libertad para Nestora Committee
5018 Rainier Avenue S., Seattle, Washington 98118, U.S.A.

FreeNestora.org . FreeNestora@gmail.com
March 18, 2014
To the Honorable Deputy Senators Roberto Lopez Suarez, Alejandro Carbajal, Luis Manuel Arias Pallares, Jose Luis Muñoz Soria, Margarita Elena Tapia and Loretta Ortiz Ahft,

The Freedom for Nestora/Libertad para Nestora Committee urges you to take all possible action to help secure the immediate release of Ms. Nestora Salgado. Community leaders in Washington State in collaboration with Ms. Salgado’s family formed the Committee last November and it has since grown into a national and international campaign. Ms. Salgado is a U.S. citizen and a resident of Renton, Washington and there is a growing outcry in this state for her release and dropping the clearly false and politically motivated charges against her.

There have been dozens of radio, TV and newspaper stories about Ms. Salgado in this region of the United States, and the coverage is now spreading nationwide in both the English and Spanish language media. Over 120 organizations and prominent individuals have signed on to support the Campaign to Free Nestora Salgado, including human rights attorneys and organizations, the Washington State Labor Council representing 425,000 affiliated union members, political leaders, Native American indigenous activists, the Seattle Human Rights Commission, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 28 of  Washington, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee, and numerous advocacy organizations from around the country. (A list of the endorsers is attached.) In addition, 6,500 people have signed the online petition urging President Barack Obama to intervene on Ms. Salgado’s behalf.

Legal petitions have been filed with the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Resolutions and letters from several organizations have been sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry requesting his help obtaining Salgado’s freedom. A multi-city, multinational day of protest and picketing was held on International Human Rights Day, December 10. Protests took place at Mexican consulates in five U.S. cities and government offices in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. There were also other actions in Australia, France and Argentina.
Last week International Women’s Day press conferences, forums and rallies were held in New York City, San Francisco and Seattle, as well as in Mexico, where supporters and family members of Nestora Salgado demanded her release.

The Freedom for Nestora Committee is currently following up with the U.S. Congressional delegation from Washington State in order to insure more aggressive intervention by the U.S. Secretary of State on Ms. Salgado’s behalf.
It is becoming increasing clear to us and to the broader U.S. public that Ms. Salgado is guilty only of trying to help the people of her hometown of Olinalá, where she is a respected community leader. We are also gravely concerned about the fate of Ms. Salgado’s colleagues in the Community Police Force in Guerrero who have been persecuted for carrying out their duties and for protesting Nestora Salgado’s arrest.

We heartened to hear that your esteemed body is investigating Ms. Salgado’s incarceration and mistreatment, and look forward to hearing the results of your inquiry.  If we can provide any more information that would assist your efforts, please contact us at the above address or email.

 

Sincerely,
Su Docekal

Chairperson,

Freedom for Nestora/Libertad para Nestora Committee

Seattle, Washington