An international day of protests and lobbies of Argentinean embassies are taking place on 13 April, the day of a court sentencing of left activists, Cesar Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz. Please urgently organise a protest at the Argentinean embassy in your country!
Below we republish a protest letter from socialists in Nigeria that provides details of the case :
TO THE: FEDERAL CHAMBER OF CRIMINAL CASSATION,
COMODORO PY 2002, 1ST FLOOR,
AUTONOMOUS CITY OF BUENOS AIRES,
ARGENTINA (C1104BEN)
Sir/Ma,
CDWR DEMANDS THE DROPPING OF THE CHARGES AND THE DISCHARGE OF CÉSAR ARAKAKI AND DANIEL RUIZ
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) in Nigeria is aware through a public campaign that in Argentina César Arakaki, a member of Partido Obrero (PO), and Daniel Ruiz, a member of Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores Unificado (PSTU), have been subjected to political persecution due to their participation in a mass peaceful protest of 300,000 people on December 18, 2017 outside the National Congress against a law sanctioned by the immediate-past President Macri government that changed retirement. We are also aware that on November 7, 2021, an Argentinean court sentenced César Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz to three years and six months and 3 years imprisonment respectively. We have also been reliably informed that a final sentence will be pronounced on 13 April 2023.
The CDWR joins workers all over the world to demand an end to the persecution of Cesar Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz. The long judicial witch-hunt against them since 2017 amounts to one thing: an attempt to silence them for standing for their class and against the anti-worker policies of the immediate-past government of President Mauricio Macri. We hereby call for the dropping of all charges against them now!
If anyone should be on trial, it should be former President Macri. Between 2015 and 2019, President Mauricio Macri government forcefully undermined free speech and freedom of opposition. The government also imposed anti-workers and anti-people policies on the mass of the people. The government had used the police, judiciary, and undemocratic laws to persecute César Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz in order to intimidate other activists and workers who oppose its policies.
We hereby call on the Alberto Fernandez-led government to discontinue the terrible legacy of the past government and respect democratic rights of working people.
The arrest and prosecution of César Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz are aimed at criminalizing protest, stifling freedom of opposition, and attacking democratic rights.
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) in Nigeria vehemently opposes and condemns the attacks on democratic rights and anti-workers’ policies. In view of the fact that the last judiciary hearing is taking place on April 13, 2023, we call on the Alberto Fernandez-led government, judiciary, and the police to withdraw the charges against César Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz and discharge them accordingly.
In case our appeal falls on deaf ears, we shall proceed to inform the trade unions in Nigeria of the atrocities of the Alberto Fernandez government on free speech and workers’ rights in Argentina with a view to mobilise international solidarity until freedom is achieved for Cesar Arakaki and Daniel Ruiz.
SIGNED:
Comrade Rufus Olusesan, National Chairperson
Comrade Chinedu Bosah, National Publicity Secretary
