Justice for Linda
- by: International Planned Parenthood Federation
- recipient: Omar Mora Diaz, President of the Supreme Tribunal for Justice; Edith Silva, DP Attorney for Women's Issues; Isaias Rodriguez, Attorney General of the Republic
Linda Loaiza's waking nightmare began 4 years ago at the age of 18 when she was kidnapped, held prisoner in her attacker's home, and repeatedly raped, beaten and tortured. She was finally rescued by Venezuelan police 4 months later.
But Linda's suffering didn't end with her rescue. After waiting 3 years for a trial, the court set a trial date only AFTER Linda resorted to holding a 2-week hunger strike on the steps of the Supreme Court to raise media awareness of her plight. Amazingly, the judge appointed to the case let her attacker (the son of a very influential Venezuelan man) go free, citing a lack of evidence despite the fact that Linda was rescued from his apartment and he had been previously arrested for attacking another woman in 1999.
Linda's experience is deeply disturbing - both for the violence she suffered and for the corruption and the injustice she has faced in her quest to put her attacker behind bars where he can't hurt her or others. Linda's story is representative of the immense difficulty faced by women in many parts of the world when they seek justice in the face of violence and abuse.
It's been many months and Linda is still awaiting a trial date. Please don't let the Venezuelan justice system drag their feet any longer or deny Linda justice once again!
Demand Justice for Linda - send a letter asking key Venezuelan officials to ensure a timely and fair trial.
To:
* Attorney General of the Republic, Isaias Rodriguez
* DP Attorney for Women's Issues, Edith Silva
* President of the Supreme Tribunal for Justice, Omar Mora Diaz
I am writing to ask you to do whatever is in your power to ensure that justice is served in Linda Loaiza's case against Luis Carrera Almoina, the man accused of kidnapping, raping, and torturing her for four months in 2001. I am also asking for your help to ensure that, unlike Mr. Carrera Almoina's first trial in 2004, this trial will be both just and free from irregularities of all kinds.
As a signatory of international human rights agreements, including the Convention of Belem do Para and the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man regulated by the Organization of American States, the Venezuelan government guarantees every woman "the right to simple and prompt recourse to a competent court for protection against acts that violate her rights," and agrees to "undertake to establish the necessary legal and administrative mechanisms to ensure that women subjected to violence have effective access to restitutions, reparations or other just and effective remedies."
This has certainly not been true for Linda Loaiza thus far. I urge you to do your duty -- and to do what is right -- to ensure a swift and fair trial, free from irregularities of any kind.
"Simple," "prompt," and "just" -- I look to you to turn these lofty words into concrete realities for Linda Loaiza, a truly courageous woman who has suffered injustice at the hands of both her attacker and, up to now, the Venezuelan judicial system.
Thank you for your efforts to ensure that justice is finally served in this case.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
