Ecuador: Guadalupe Llori Freed from Prison

NEW YORK (September 24, 2008) – Guadalupe Llori, ex governor of the province of Orellana and a political prisoner of the government of Ecuador, was released from jail yesterday after nine months and 16 days of arbitrary and illegal imprisonment. Her release follows a September 17 ruling by the Superior Court of Justice of Nueva Loja which established Llori’s innocence.

“Today is a day of celebration for the Ecuadorean people. The authorities have confirmed Mrs. Llori’s innocence. Mrs. Llori was initially detained under charges of terrorism and sabotage, and then these were switched to embezzlement—it is clear that this was a case of political persecution in which justice has finally prevailed,” said Alek Boyd, vice president of program of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).

“Long live the Human Rights Foundation! I have been waiting for this day for a long time. I am infinitely grateful to HRF for establishing my innocence and for having defended my cause and the cause of my people. HRF was the only organization to defend and take an interest in me. Not a single human rights organization in my country bothered to assist me. Not a single international organization visited me in jail. May God bless HRF,” said Llori following her release.

HRF has been following the case since Llori’s arrest in December of 2007, and has publicly denounced the numerous violations of her rights during that time, including the physical and psychological abuse she suffered at the hands of prison authorities.

In early September, HRF presented a petition before the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention requesting Llori’s immediate release. The petition led the Ecuadorean government to invite human rights rapporteurs from the United Nations to visit the country in an attempt to disprove that Llori was a political prisoner. The conditions of her detention were improved remarkably after public exposure.

Julio Sarango, Llori’s legal counsel, had to resort to a writ of habeas corpus because the court authorities, for unknown reasons, had yet to issue the order for her release. Habeas corpus was granted yesterday by the deputy mayor of Quito and a court finally issued the release order.

The director of El Inca women’s penitentiary, Washington Yaranga, tried to leave the premises without signing the release order, ignoring court orders as he had done before. Prison director Yaranga has repeatedly prevented Llori’s release, reportedly following orders from the Ecuadorean government. Guadalupe Llori was freed minutes before 5pm yesterday.

HRF is an international nonpartisan organization devoted to defending human rights in the Americas. It centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; HRF’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. HRF’s International Council includes former prisoners of conscience Vladimir Bukovsky, Palden Gyatso, Armando Valladares, Ramón J. Velásquez, Elie Wiesel, and Harry Wu.

Contact: Alek Boyd, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, info@thehrf.org

• Read the letters HRF has sent to President Correa here (Spanish only).
• Read the letters the Ecuadorean government has sent HRF here (Spanish only).
• Read HRF's communication to the Working Group of Arbitrary Detention regarding Guadalupe Llori's case here (Spanish only).

• Read HRF's resolution request to the Working Group of Arbitrary Detention here (Spanish only).