Rights Action
June 20, 2018
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- that Edwin Espinal has been a target of regime repression and harassment, on multiple occasions, going back to 2009
- that the Honduran legal system has been used against him on numerous occasions as a tool of repression
- that Edwin’s jail living conditions, right now, are harmful and abusive, and a violation of multiple legal and human rights; and
- that his current punitive (and illegal) jailing is being used by the regime to send a message to other human rights and democracy defenders in the country.
I agree strongly with the concerns already communicated to you by the organization Rights Action. The Government of Canada’s policies and actions in Honduras are contradictory: on the one hand, Canada legitimized the 2009 military coup / regime change, and then – against all evidence – rubber-stamped three sets of fraudulent, violent elections since the coup, while turning a blind eye to the increasing rates of human rights violations, corruption and repression committed by the regime since then; on the other hand, Canada funds human rights organizations that are, sometimes, trying to address the violations and suffering caused by the regime.
I work as a Senior Research Officer for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, based in Ottawa. I am discussing the detention of Edwin Espinal and other political prisoners in Honduras with my colleagues at the CUPE National Office and across the labour movement. Every single person that I speak to about this issue is appalled to learn of the blind eye that Canada has turned to this terrifying repression. The information about this case, and about Canada’s role in Honduras, is growing by the week. It is urgent that these concerns and issues be immediately addressed.
I ask that you do everything in your power to secure Edwin’s immediate release and to keep us informed of your actions. Further, I urge that the Government of Canada withdraw all support for and recognition of the fraudulent election processes carried out since 2009, and to initiate a thoroughgoing review of Canada’s relationship with the current de facto government in Tegucigalpa.
Kevin Skerrett
Ottawa
Cc:
Minister Chrystia Freeland, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada,
Catherine McKenna, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, MP for Ottawa-Centre
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Update: “Simcoe County delegates return from Honduras, demand political prisoners’ release”
http://aware-simcoe.ca/2018/05/simcoe-county-delegation-arrives-in-honduras-to-advocate-for-political-prisoners/
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Keep on writing
There is NO EXCUSE for the U.S. and Canada not to be advocating directly and relentlessly for the release of Edwin, and all political prisoners. Since the 2009 military coup, the U.S. and Canada’s unwavering support for the undemocratic, repressive and corrupt post-coup regimes continues to be part of the problem.
United States
Contact directly your elected Senators (https://whoismyrepresentative.com/) and Congress members (https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative) and make your demands known to them.
Canada
Directly contact your Member of Parliament and make your demands known to them (https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members) and ask them to write directly to:
Ambassador James Hill, Embassy of Canada in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, James.Hill@international.gc.ca,
tglpa@international.gc.ca
Minister Chrystia Freeland, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada, chrystia.freeland@parl.gc.ca
chrystia.freeland.c1d@parl.gc.ca
chrystia.freeland@international.gc.ca
Demands - short term
The U.S. and Canadian governments must:
- Do an about face and rescind their “legitimization” of the Nov. 26, 2017 elections
- Condemn the multiple acts of electoral fraud carried out by government of Juan Orlando Hernandez
- Condemn the repression including the killing of over 40 pro-democracy protesters, and the illegal detentions of dozens of political prisoners, including Edwin Espinal
- Suspend all economic, military and political relations with the government of Honduras, until the political / electoral crisis has been resolved and impartial justice processes are proceeded against the intellectual and material authors of the electoral fraud and stolen elections, and the endemic repression
Demands - medium term
There must be legislative inquiries in the U.S. and Canada into the causes of Honduras’ now endemic repression and exploitation, corruption and impunity, with specific focus on the role played by the U.S. and Canadian governments:
- In support of the 2009 military coup
- In support and legitimization of fraudulent and violent elections in 2009, 2013 and 2017
- In support (in the case of Canada) of the promoting and signing of the potentially illegitimate “Free Trade Agreement” with the government of Honduras; In support of the expansion of corporate investments in Honduras (mining, garment “sweatshop” industry, bananas, hydro-electric dams, tourism, African palm, etc.), while turning a blind eye to and – in effect – benefitting from repression, fraud, corruption and impunity.
- U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
- Canada: (Box 552) 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
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