An editorial was posted to Seattle Times after North Korea released a U.S. prisoner. The Seattle Times Editorial Board asked for the release of Kenneth Bae, who has been imprisoned in North Korea for over 2 years. Here, Fred Hyde writes a letter to the editors to also consider asking for Nestora’s release.

Dear Editor,

Regarding your Friday, September 24 editorial on Kenneth Bae, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in North Korea, there is another U.S. citizen who is suffering harsh prison conditions in another country and deserves to be released.

Nestora Salgado, a resident of Renton, is a political prisoner in Mexico. In 2013, residents of her home town of Olinalá, Guerrero, elected her coordinator of their legally authorized community police force. Local and state officials conspired to jail this brave indigenous leader for carrying out her duties in an honest, principled manner that exposed their corruption. They have kept her locked up for over a year despite a March federal court ruling declaring her innocent and ordering her release. The international campaign to free her has the support of eight members of the Washington congressional delegation and many groups and individuals.

Mass protests over the disappearance and probable murder of 43 activist college students by police and drug cartel thugs in Guerrero drove the state’s Governor out of office last week­the same person responsible for Salgado’s arrest and ongoing detention.

The time is now for President Obama to call Mexican President Peña Nieto and insist he free Salgado immediately–before she too is disappeared.

Fred Hyde
2940 36th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98144
206-854-9057