Diary of Journalist Pedro Canche Herrera, 'Prisoner of Conscience' in Mexico Elizabeth and Marianna Breytman - Global Voices
go to original March 22, 2015

Mayan journalist Pedro Canché, author of Diary of a Prisoner of Conscience (Tumblr)

For over six months, Mayan journalist Pedro Canché Herrera has been awaiting his sentence in a cell in the state of Quintana Roo in southeast Mexico. He was arrested on August 30, 2014, and charged with sabotage by authorities in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, after recording videos, interviewing protesters, and posting photos of a sit-in against an increase in prices for water services.

Authorities felt that his leadership incited people to block entrances to the offices of the Water and Sewage Commission. The crime of sabotage is considered so serious that Canché Herrera cannot apply for bail.

In this video interview, published by Article 19, Canché Herrera reflects on his arrest and freedom. (Article19)

Canché Herrera believes that his arrest has nothing to do with the aforementioned protests, but rather his journalistic work in the area. On his Twitter account (@pedrokanche) and Facebook page, he shared an open letter written from prison, commenting on his situation:

For us Mayans who have very few voices in the national print and digital media, the fact that they have issued a formal arrest against me for an invented crime of conducting independent journalism and sharing it on national and digital media outlets is a huge blow to freedom of expression.

I consider this a warning for all of us who use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and social networks for journalism and reflections.

I am sure that our Mexico is no longer in diapers like it was in 1968 because there are Mexican politicians, lovers of freedom, who are going to condemn these acts and will reflect on whether this is the Mexico that we need.

I remain at the solidarity of journalists from Mexico and around the world, hoping that they write a letter to the President of the Republic to stop this attack on freedom of expression against an international journalist of Mayan ethnicity.

In a statement released last month, Amnesty International said there is evidence that the state prosecutor committed injustices in the process, due to Canché Herrera's recognized journalistic work over the course of the last two decades.

Read the rest at Global Voices

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!