This week Pro-Libertad launches their annual freedom campaign week to help free sixteen Puerto Rican political prisoners, 6 women and 10 men, who are serving sentences of 35 to 105 years in U.S. jails. These prisoners were convicted of acting, or conspiring to act to overthrow by force the authority of the U.S. government in Puerto Rico.
Thousands of Puerto Ricans past and present have been jailed for “conspiracy” during the nearly 100 years of U.S. occupation because they have advocated and organized to get the U.S. out of Puerto Rico. At the same time these Puerto Rican political prisoners have been sentenced to long prison terms and also have been subjected to cruel, inhumane and degrading prison conditions, held far form their families and communities, been sexually assaulted and denied medical care; tactics designed to destroy them in body and spirit.
According to a pamphlet issued by Pro-Libertad, the average sentence for a Puerto Rican political prisoner is 70.8 years for men and 72.2 years for the women. In the years between 1966 and 1985, the average sentence in the federal system for prisoners convicted of murder was 22.7 years, rape 12.5 and weapons violations 12 years. The majority of Puerto Rican political prisoners have already served more than twenty years.
Pro-libertad not only tables street fairs, they also do workshops about Latin America, provide educational service to the community and organize activities and conferences on the part of the prisoners. This entire week will be dedicated to the prisoners. From September 21 to 28 there will be a list of activities taking place:
On September 24, at 6:30 p.m. at Aguebana Bookstore at 12th Street and Avenue B, Rafael Cancel Miranda, a former Puerto Rican political prisoner, and Guillermo Morales Pagan, son of current political prisoner Dylcia Pagan will be talking to the people.
On Friday, September 26, they will be at the “Casa de las Americas”
located at 104 West 14th Street. For more information on this activity
and others posted, you may call some of the following numbers: (212) 927-9065
or (212) 675-2584
For information on Pro-libertad, call (212) 662-6821 and ask for Vioteta
Reilly, Frank Verlgara at (718) 601-4751 or Rosa Escobar at (718) 409-3595.
