Radio Mundo Real

The Colombian social movement Peoples´ Congress warns that the trial against 13 social activists is “political, not judicial”. The goal is to continue “persecuting and criminalizing social movement organizations”, said Alexandra Bermudez, national spokesperson of the Peoples´ Congress.

On Tuesday, a judge sent to prison 13 social activists who had been arrested on July 8. The irregularities didn´t take long to appear: first they were accused of using explosives against financial institution Porvenir in Bogota, then they were linked with an urban network of the left-wing guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN) and finally they were pointed out as the people behind the riots at the National University.

Yesterday, the lawyer of one of the people arrested announced that she will file a complaint against the judge for meeting with a police officer just minutes before Tuesday´s hearing.

Eleven of the people arrested are members of the Peoples´ Congress, which held a press conference yesterday outside the court building.

“We wanted to tell the country and the world about the irregularities present in this process”, especially about the resolution of sending the people arrested to prison while the case continues, said Bermudez in an interview with Real World Radio. “This is a decision that has been made mainly due to the political pressure from the government”.

“We will continue saying that this is a political trial aiming to keep persecuting and criminalizing social movement organizations”, said the national spokesperson of the Peoples´ Congress. She also demanded Juan Manuel Santos´ administration “to ensure guarantees for us to carry out our work”, which is “legitimate and legal” and was recognized by the government itself through a decree.