Success Stories!

Environmental Activist Released!

It is with great joy that we announce the release of Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim, a prominent opponent of the construction of the Kajbar Dam in Sudan, who was arrested on June 16th. He was released from detention on August 25th. He expressed his sincere thanks to Amnesty International, explaining that so many faxes arrived that the security services holding him suspected that he was a very important person with many contacts worldwide. Since several of the faxes mentioned his diabetes, prison medical staff started to check his diabetes every day.

Environmental Defender Freed!

Amnesty International is happy to report that Andrei Zatoka was released from jail on January 31. Andrei had been detained on December 17 by local police at the airport in his home city of Dashoguz. There were allegations that he was targeted to punish him for his peaceful work as an environmental activist. He and his supporters are grateful for the appeals sent by AI's Urgent Action network on his behalf.

Environmental Activist and Prisoner of Conscience Felipe Arreaga Released

Amnesty International has received with pleasure the news of the acquittal of Felipe Arreaga Sánchez, environmental activist, founder of the Peasant Environmentalist Organization of the Sierra de Petatlán (OCESP) and prisoner of conscience. He was released on September 15. However, he, his family and other environmental activists in the region remain in grave danger. After considering his case, Amnesty International believed that the arrest and prosecution of Felipe Arreaga was in retaliation for his peaceful struggle to prevent excessive logging of the region’s forests. Read more. »

Environmental activists more determined now to continue work.

Isidro Baldenegro and Hermenegildo Domingo Rivas, two environmental activists and human rights defenders, were released on June 23, 2004 after all charges against them were dropped. Both men are members of the indigenous Raramuris community of Coloradas de la Virgen, in Chihuahua State, where they had been among the leaders of their community's struggle against unregulated logging in the region. In retaliation for their work, officers of the state judicial police detained them in March 2003, and charged them with illegal possession of firearms. Isidro Baldenegro was also charged with possession of marijuana. National and international pressure was vital in securing this action by the authorities. Isidro Baldenegro told the newspaper La Jornada that he was "now even more determined [to carry on his work in defense of the environment], because this experience has shown us that there are people who are prepared to help us."