Mexico City, Mexico — The Mexican government released Jose Diaz Gomez after two years of imprisonment for a crime he did not commit, according to Human rights organizations Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (Grupo Frayba). Diaz Gomez is a member of the Support Base for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, a left-wing guerrilla group that has been in varying levels of conflict with the Mexican government for 30 years.
He had been held with no charges, accused of robbery under pretrial detention for one year and nine months in a prison in Playas de Catazajá, Chiapas, in southeastern Mexico.
The man, a member of the Ch’ol indigenous people, was reportedly arrested on November 25, 2022, when alleged police officers detained and beat him on charges of robbery.
According to the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center (Frayba), the case of Díaz Gómez was riddled with abuses of authority and corruption. They say he was robbed of 1,400 Mexican pesos (USD $73) at the time of his arrest and forced to sign blank pages with no one to translate the situation for him in his native language.
During his imprisonment, the Frayba Center accompanied Gómez, denouncing the inhumane treatment to which he was reportedly subjected and even acts of torture carried out against him.
“The cruelty of the prison system is unconscionable; the lack of medical attention puts José’s health and life at risk; his integrity and safety are in danger by living in a small cell with 18 people, the conditions of overcrowding increase the risk of violence due to abuses and conflict,” wrote Frabya in a statement.
According to the Zapatista Army, Gomez, who is part of the autonomous territory governed by the Zapatistas, was detained for being part of the indigenous movement.
Indigenous members of the Zapatista autonomous territories have been persecuted and attacked by state forces and paramilitaries. Recently the Zapatistas denounced the armed attack against Jorge López Sántiz, a member of the Tseltal indigenous community as well as a member of the Support Bases of the Zapatista Army.
Armed attacks and judicial persecution have occurred against indigenous people seeking to defend their territory and customs from government infrastructure projects.
“It is with great happiness that we report the freedom of our comrade José Díaz Gómez, Support Base of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (BAEZLN). This freedom is thanks to the decisive and joint action of the peoples, communities, collectives, organizations, and individuals,” read a statement by Frayba.