Mexican lawyer to help U.S. journalist
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico
An award-winning human rights lawyer said Wednesday he will work with others seeking justice for U.S. activist-journalist Bradley Roland Will, who was shot dead in Oaxaca in October.
Miguel de los Santos, director of the Network of Community Defense, which provides legal defense, said Will's case is important to ensuring freedom of expression in Mexico. He said he will use his legal skills to pressure state and federal investigators to solve the case.
"It's important that those responsible are punished," De los Santos said. "If there is no justice, groups can go on killing journalists."
Will, 36, of New York, had been covering a leftist protest movement looking to oust Oaxaca's governor. He was working for Indy Media, a Web site run by a network of independent centers, when he was killed during a fight between protesters facing off against armed off-duty police officers and local government officials.
State investigators arrested two town officials in the killing, but released them after state Attorney General Lizbeth Cana suggested Will may have been shot by a protester.
Protest leaders said Cana fabricated evidence to protect the governor's gunmen.
De los Santos, who lives in the southern city of San Cristobal de las Casas and has defended Zapatista rebels, won the Reebok human rights award in 1995 for defending Indian prisoners.
An award-winning human rights lawyer said Wednesday he will work with others seeking justice for U.S. activist-journalist Bradley Roland Will, who was shot dead in Oaxaca in October.
Miguel de los Santos, director of the Network of Community Defense, which provides legal defense, said Will's case is important to ensuring freedom of expression in Mexico. He said he will use his legal skills to pressure state and federal investigators to solve the case.
"It's important that those responsible are punished," De los Santos said. "If there is no justice, groups can go on killing journalists."
Will, 36, of New York, had been covering a leftist protest movement looking to oust Oaxaca's governor. He was working for Indy Media, a Web site run by a network of independent centers, when he was killed during a fight between protesters facing off against armed off-duty police officers and local government officials.
State investigators arrested two town officials in the killing, but released them after state Attorney General Lizbeth Cana suggested Will may have been shot by a protester.
Protest leaders said Cana fabricated evidence to protect the governor's gunmen.
De los Santos, who lives in the southern city of San Cristobal de las Casas and has defended Zapatista rebels, won the Reebok human rights award in 1995 for defending Indian prisoners.
posted by Alice at
Thursday, January 11, 2007
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