Oscar Lopez parole denied - National Boricua Human Rights Network Statement

February 18, 2011

Today the U.S. Parole Commission issued its
decision in the case of Puerto Rican political
prisoner Oscar López Rivera, stating “Deny
parole. Continue to a 15-year reconsideration
hearing in January 2026 or continue to expiration,
whichever comes first.

In a decision which ignored the express will of
the Puerto Rican people and those who believe in
justice and human rights, counting tens of
thousands of voices supporting his immediate
release, the Commission ignored the evidence
establishing that Oscar met all the criteria for
parole, and also ignored its own rules in the
process. Among these many ignored voices are
members of legislatures including the United
States Congress; the state legislatures of New
York, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania; the city
councils and county boards of many locales in the
U.S. and Puerto Rico; the mayors of many towns in
the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including the
Association of Mayors of Puerto Rico; bar
associations including the Puerto Rico Bar
Association, the National Lawyers Guild and the
American Association of Jurists; clergy and
religious organizations, including the Ecumenical
Coalition representing every religious
denomination in Puerto Rico; human rights
advocates, academics, students, artists, community
organizations, and workers.

Oscar, his family, his attorney, National Boricua
Human Rights Network in the U.S. and the Comité
Pro Derechos Humanos in Puerto Rico want to
express our deepest gratitude for the vast support
for his release.

Oscar and his attorney Jan Susler will meet next
week to discuss the decision. Meanwhile, the
National Boricua Human Rights Network in the U.S.
and the Comité Pro Derechos Humanos in Puerto
Rico will continue the campaign to express to the
Parole Commission the depth and breadth of
support for Oscar's immediate release.

http://boricuahumanrights.org