La Plata, Argentina - April 5th, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
THE BUS LINE “EAST” WORKERS AND FORMER WORKERS FROM THE CITY OF LA PLATA DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF OUR CO-WORKERS
The bus drivers and former workers of the Bus Line “East” from the City of La Plata, together with the relatives who endorse this statement, express our deepest repudiation and concern about the arrest of the co-workers Sebastián Mac Dougall, Emanuel Lazzaro, Pablo Varriano and Luciano Fiocchi, which took place the night of April 3rd, 2019. They were accused of alleged events that took place on March 16, 2017 within the context of the u dispute between the bus line Company “East” and the drivers of this bus line who belong to El Bondi Group |
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We find it inexplicable that over two years after these events, without any prior warning, without even being notified about any criminal charges on them, the four aforementioned comrades were arrested, three of them through an irregular detention process (without search warrant), leaving their families in despair. The date of the arrests is highly suggestive: it was on the eve of the beginning of the day of protests led by the CGT, the two CTAs, bosses sectors, and social movements on April 4 2019. This proves the character of the aforementioned comrades as "political prisoners".
In this labour dispute, the criminal court system has always operated against the workers, who have fought for their rights and were brutally repressed by the police forces, and later they protested on the streets and now they are criminally prosecuted and imprisoned.
The inexplicable detention order of the prosecutor Virginia Bravo, in charge of UFI 7 of La Plata, is based on imputations ("aggravated coercion, with material damage") that are even more severe than the ones made by the applicant (only for damages), thus cutting off the possibility of an ordinary release.
The case is in the Court of Guarantees Number 2, with Dr. Jorge Moya Panisello in charge of it, to whom were made the procedural presentations required in order to get the workers released immediately.
The arrest of the comrades, in the context that happens, demonstrates the evident will of the political power to send a disciplinary message, an exemplary chastise, to every group of workers or social organization trying to protest for their rights.
Such is the cruelty of criminal court against our fellow comrades that not only deepens the complaint made (for damages), but also fails to consider that at the end of the labour dispute the employer has committed judicially not to press any criminal charge and to conclude the entire dispute, stating that they had no interest in the progress of criminal cases.
We invite all social sectors, trade unions, politicians and human rights organizations to join us, demanding the release of the comrades arbitrarily imprisoned for protesting.
Finally we call for a press conference to be held on Monday, April 8 at 11:30 am in the annex of the Chamber of Representatives, rooms 5 and 6 of La Plata.
Relatives of the detainees and co-workers.-