Urgent: Soldiers illegally holding member of the Peace Community prisoner

On Saturday, February 8, 2014, at around 11:40am, Wber Areiza was held prisoner for 30 minutes by troops from the military base in San José who belong to the army?s 17th Brigade, as part of an illegal checkpoint set up next to San José de Apartadó. They branded him as ?suspicious,? and although the soldiers released him when a group from our Peace Community arrived where he was being held, another group of soldiers illegally detained him again within minutes.

 

 

He is currently being held prisoner by the military troops in the same way the paramilitaries normally do: they say that if one of Areiza?s family members or acquaintances comes forward they will release him, ignoring the presence of the large group of people from the community who all know him; Wber grew up in our Peace Community.

Therefore, we urgently call on the national and international community to urge the national government and authorities to free Wber Areiza immediately. We are concerned that Areiza may be turned over to the paramilitaries who patrol the region in total complicity with the military. Areiza had already been threatened by the soldiers on January 15, 2014.

Peace Community of San José de Apartadó
February 8, 2014

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