Monday, January 21, 2013

COMPEL THE DOJ TO FREE ERICSON ACOSTA NOW!


PHOTO: Ericson Acosta with 79-year-old father Isaias Acosta, who is also undergoing treatment for a spinal ailment. Watch the video here: http://youtu.be/K0E0EHyTFVk

Poet-songwriter Ericson Acosta, detained for 23 months at the Calbayog sub-provincial jail in Samar on trumped-up criminal charges, is undergoing medical treatment at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) through a court order.

ERICSON ACOSTA IS STILL NOT FREE. His Petition for Review, citing serious irregularities and human rights violations in the conduct of his arrest and detention, has been pending before the Department of Justice for more than a year.

Almost two years have passed since his illegal arrest on February 13, 2011 -- there is still no immediate favorable resolution in sight for Ericson's review petition. We need to urge DOJ Secretary de Lima to drop the trumped-up charges against Ericson Acosta.

The government is not obliged to shoulder his medical expenses at the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) since his medical check-up was granted by the court on account of a motion prepared by Ericson's lawyers.

Ericson's family needs to raise a substantial amount of money to cover his medical expenses, over and above his parents' who are themselves currently undergoing medical treatment for various ailments.

The Free Ericson Acosta Campaign enjoins your support in this very challenging phase of our campaign to free activist poet Ericson Acosta and all political prisoners.

FREE THE ARTIST!
FREE ERICSON ACOSTA NOW!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You may deposit your financial support may to this account:

Isaias Acosta
BDO The Block
SM City North branch
Savings Account # 0251065464

For international donations:

Isaias Acosta
BDO The Block
SM City North branch
Savings Account: 00-0251065464
Routing #: 021000089
Swiftcode: BNORPHMM

WRITE TO DOJ SECRETARY TO PRESS FOR ERICSON'S IMMEDIATE RELEASE


You may use this template to write to Secretary Leila de Lima:

____________________________________________________


Secretary Leila de Lima
Department of Justice
Padre Faura Street, Manila
PHILIPPINES



Secretary de Lima,


Ericson Acosta is a poet and cultural worker. He has dedicated his life to serving the people. He was arrested without warrant February 13, 2011 while conducting human rights research in Barangay Bay-ang, San Jorge, Samar. He was brought to a military camp where he was interrogated and tortured for three days, before he was levied with a trumped-up charge of illegal possession of explosive to justify his arrest and continued detention.

His arrest, torture and almost two years in detention have resulted in the deterioration of his health. After Ericson's current medical treatment at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, it will be unacceptable and lamentable for him to recover only to be brought back to the Calbayog Sub-Provincial Jail. We must put an end to this mockery of justice.

As citizens longing for justice, we await your prompt action on the Petition for Review of Acosta's case filed by his counsel, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) before the DOJ in September 2011. We respectfully urge your honorable office to set aside the earlier resolutions of the local prosecutor in Samar, and to effect Acosta's release with the withdrawal of the fabricated complaint against him as soon as possible.

Sincerely yours,


Name______________________

Address____________________


____________________________________________________


FREE THE ARTIST! FREE ERICSON ACOSTA NOW!

Sign the online petition at change.org

http://www.change.org/petitions/release-detained-filipino-artist-ericson-acosta-now

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