New Statement by spokesperson of Gabriel Valenzuela Montoya, young Mapuche Political Prisoner, Chol Chol, Chile

June 13, 2013

For the Mapuche people and the national and international public opinion, from the Prison for Minors in Chol Chol.

We inform you that Gabriel Valenzuela Montoya young Mapuche political prisoner on hunger strike for the last 33 days, has decided to abandon its thirst strike, which began yesterday, June 12. This step was taken as a way to radicalize his hunger strike as leverage for changing the preventive detention injunction affecting him. Unfortunately, the Court of Appeals rejected the defense's appeal and upheld the decision to keep Gabriel in custody, demonstrating the unwillingness of the courts of justice to grant the possibility of returning home to this young Mapuche, who they have held imprisoned and isolated from his family and community for the past nine months.

Given this abusive and unfair scenario, directed by big political and corporate powers, Gabriel Valenzuela has decided to continue his hunger strike, for now returning to ingest liquids, until obtaining his transfer to the prison in Angol, to the module of community members, to be able to be closer to his family, and in the company of other Mapuche brothers, who are also victims of political persecution by the State. 

Therefore, we appeal to the indications of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Article 37: "In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the best interest of the child." Gabriel Valenzuela has taken this step considering that he already has come of age in the juvenile prison, and it is a dire need for him, to maintain his physical and psychological integrity, which can only be achieved through the transfer, ending his isolation and distance from the family.

We reported that the state of health of Gabriel has begun to deteriorate, and today was his first transfer to the Hospital in Imperial after a tachycardia diagnosed by the doctor of the CIP-CRC, at the same time strong bones and muscle pain keep him in a state of constant weakening.

From the prison in Chol Chol, on behalf of Gabriel Valenzuela and his family, we call on all those who trust in the innocence of Gabriel to denounce with all possible means, the injustices and human rights violations that the Chilean State exercises daily in the communities and prisons in the region against Mapuche political prisoners.

FREEDOM TO ALL MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS
TERRITORIAL FREEDOM FOR THE MAPUCHE PEOPLE
STOP THE SETUPS BY THE ANTI MAPUCHE PROSECUTOR LUIS CHAMORRO