Mexican environmentalist freed after 10 months in prison

Published: 2005-09-29

PETATLAN, Mexico (CNS) -- An internationally known environmentalist was released from prison when a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence for charges he murdered the son of a timber boss. "It was only 10 months, but it seemed more like 10 years. Thank God I am free now," said Felipe Arreaga Sanchez, a 55-year-old environmental activist and co-founder of the Organization of Farmer Environmentalists of the Sierra de Petatlan y Coyuca de Catalan. He was released Sept. 15. Amnesty International had described Arreaga as a prisoner of conscience and had urged his release, saying the false accusations against him barred him from his work of preventing the excessive logging of local forests. The Sierra Club honored Arreaga with its Chico Mendes Award Aug. 9 for his decade of activism to conserve and protect forests in the mountains of Guerrero state. Arreaga's wife, Celsa Valdovinos Rios, and his co-worker, Albertano Penalosa, also were honored for their environmental activism.

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