Magdalena Morales Court Hearing October 23rd

Magdalena (in blue shirt) and supporters

Take Action for Magdalena

October 22 - Action to Support Campesina Leader 
Magdalena Morales, Regional General Secretary of the CNTC in Progreso, Yoro was arrested on July 26th and charged with usurpation of property because of her leadership in the campesino movement in the Sula Valley. Magdalena and the CNTC support a land recuperation in Agua Blanco Sur near the town of Progreso in which campesinos are up against one of the biggest sugar companies in Honduras, Asunoza which is owned by the British corporation SAB-Miller. Magdalena is also charged with inciting protest and inciting the land occupation by the campesinos as well as with "destruction of property" in which the company claims that 200 million Lempiras worth of damage was done - without presenting evidence of damage.  She is being charged because she is a leader in the CNTC. Her  hearing is scheduled for October 23th. Meanwhile she is prohibited from visiting the campesinos at Asunoza and she and the campesinos of the organizations in Yoro are under constant threats and harassment. Organizations in Honduras are calling for a protest in support of Magdalena at the Honduran Supreme Court in Tegucigalpa on October 23.

Magdalena's case is one of several blatant attacks on the social justice movements in Honduras in which leaders of organizations have been charged, detained, or threatened with judicial action with the obvious goal of destroying the organizations and movements. These attacks include the prosecutions of leaders of COPINH (see the sidebar and other recent blog entries) and  leaders of the Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice (MADJ) Victor and Martin Fernandez, activists in the anti-mining struggles in the provinces of Yoro and Atlantida.   READ MORE about Magdalena's Case
(thank you to Greg McCain and Briggite Gynther for their information and photos)

UPDATE - Justice for José Isabel Morales "Chabelo"
CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTION!
The campesino political prisoner Chabelo Morales has been unjustly imprisoned for 5 years.
International support contributed to a hearing being held on September 13th by the Supreme Court. His family, lawyers and supporters traveled to Tegucigalpa for the hearing thinking that the Court would make a decision on the appeal filed by his lawyers. Unfortunnately, it seems to have been a symbolic hearing in response to the international outcry not a decisional hearing. The judge only stated that the Supreme Court would be hearing the case sometime soon. It is extremely important that we continue to insist on Chabelo's freedom and on his case moving forward in the system.  Action for Chabelo