Kafe benefit night for Comite Cerezo

bristol | miscellaneous | announcement Wednesday June 14, 2006 17:15 by Boyd - Kebele Kulture Project kebelesocialcentre at riseup dot net

Visit from ex-political prisoner Alejandro Cerezo

An opportunity to get a first hand account of the injustices suffered by Mexican politcal prisoners.

Sunday 25th June, 8pm.
At the Kebele Social Centre, 14 Robertson Road, Easton, Bristol.
Kafe serving delicious vegan Mexican food open from 6.30pm.

As part of a European tour to raise awareness and much-needed funds, Alejandro Cerezo will be visiting Bristol on Sunday 25th June.

Alejandro has recently been released after serving 3 years in prison for an 'ideological crime'. His two brothers are still in prison for the same 'crime'. They have formed 'Comite Cerezo' to fight for the freedom of ALL political prisoners in Mexico.

The Cerezo brothers actively participated in the student campaign against the privatization of the UNAM (Autonomous National University of Mexico)
in 1999. After succesfully resisting for more than a year, the strike was violently crushed with over 500 students arrested when the police stormed the campus.

Alejandro and his brothers Hector and Antonio were sentenced to 17 years in high security prisons as a result, not for committing the crime they were accused of, but because the state decided there was an ‘ideological link’ between them and organised guerrillas in Mexico.

The evidence that confirmed their 'crime' was possession of subversive materials - leaflets and books no different in style and content to those that Bristol activists of all types regularly distribute. They were arrested and charged with planting a bomb outside a bank in Mexico City. Graffiti mentioning the name of their political group (FARP) was found nearby.

There was no evidence linking the brothers to the bombing, yet because of the graffiti (which there is no evidence they even wrote) and the 'subversive materials' they were sentenced to SEVENTEEN YEARS in a high security prison.

The parallels with the recent unjust sentences handed down to British animal rights campaigners is obvious - both events are part of a creeping campaign to legislate against 'thoughtcrime', i.e. you can be sent to prison just for opposing capitalism and the state in your head, with no material evidence against you.

Please come and support Alejandro and the Comite Cerezo, and deliver a message of hope and solidarity that he can take back to those political prisoners still suffering in Mexico.

The evening will include scrumptious Mexican vegan food, a video (dont worry, its got subtitles!) and a chance to gain information from Alejandro.