domingo, 7 de febrero de 2010

Figueroa Sarti está libre de cargos


Carla Natareno cnatereno@sigloxxi.com
El editor Raúl Figueroa Sarti, de F&G Editores, fue absuelto del delito de Violación a la Propiedad Intelectual como consecuencia de haber publicado una fotografía, sin autorización, en la portada del libro Cualquier forma de morir, del escritor Rafael Menjívar Ochoa, en noviembre de 2006. La imagen fue tomada por Mardo Arturo Escobar.

Después de dos años del procedimiento judicial, la sala segunda de apelaciones resolvió anular el dictamen del Tribunal Séptimo de Sentencia Penal, Narcoactividad y Delitos contra el Ambiente, en el que se le condenaba a un año de prisión y a una multa de Q50 mil. Se le declaró absuelto y se levantó el arresto domiciliario.

Raúl Figueroa expresó: “Me siento tranquilo, después de que este proceso duró tanto tiempo y viví bajo arresto domiciliario (desde noviembre de 2007), lo que afectó considerablemente mi vida familiar y laboral. Me siento satisfecho con la sentencia, ya que se demostró que no había razón de tan absurdo proceso, que puso en entredicho mi nombre y el trabajo de la editorial”.

Figueroa Sarti, que lleva desde hace 15 años la batuta de F&G Editores, también declaró: “Espero que este no sea un caso aislado de que en Guatemala hay un espacio para la justicia”. El editor agradece el apoyo que recibió del círculo literario del país.

http://www.sigloxxi.com/vida.php?id=1993

viernes, 5 de febrero de 2010

Gracias / Thank you

Queridas amigas y amigos:


Les escribo nuevamente para informarles que el día de hoy 5 de febrero de 2010 la sala segunda de apelaciones resolvió anular la sentencia del Tribunal Séptimo de Sentencia Penal, Narcoactividad y Delitos contra el ambiente que me condenara a un año de prisión y una multa de 50 mil quetzales. En consecuencia me declaró absuelto me levantó el arresto domicialiario.

Aunque el Ministerio Público como parte acusadora tiene legalmente la opción de apelar esta sentencia es mi esperanza que el sentido común se imponga y que se termine la pesadilla que durante más de dos años me ha tocado vivir.

Agradezco a todos ustedes el apoyo brindado y su solidaridad.

Es mi esperanza que este fallo no sea un hecho aíslado, sino la expresión de que en Guatemala la justicia puede ser posible.

Gracias

Raúl Figueroa Sarti


http://raulfigueroasarti.blogspot.com/
http://figueroafreepress.wordpress.com/



Dear Friends:


I am writing once again to inform you that today, February 5, 2010, the Second Court of Appeals resolved to void the ruling that was issued by the Seveth Tribunal of Penal, Narcoactivity, and Criminal Sentence against the environment (Tribunal Séptimo de Sentencia Penal, Narcoactividad y Delitos) that sentenced me to a year in prison and ordered me to pay a fine of 50 thousand Quetzales. As a consequence, I was declared free of all charges and state of house arrest has been lifted.

Even though the Public Prosecutor (Ministeri Público), as the accusing party, has the legal option to appeal this sentence, it is my hope that common sense will prevail and that the nightmare that I have endured for over two years will end.

I thank each and all of you for the support that you have provided me and for your solidarity.

I hope that this sentence is not an isolated incident, but rather the expression that in Guatemala justice is possible.

Thank you

Raúl Figueroa Sarti


http://raulfigueroasarti.blogspot.com/
http://figueroafreepress.wordpress.com/

Sentencia absolutoria

El contenido completo de la sentencia absolutoria puede verse en el siguiente enlace:
http://www.fygeditores.com/emails/RAF/Apelacionespecial257-2009.pdf

Sentencia condenatoria


El contenido completo de la sentencia puede verse en el siguiente enlace:
http://www.fygeditores.com/emails/RAF/SentenciaC-G-5499-2008Of.1ero.pdf

jueves, 4 de febrero de 2010

Photographers For Justice

We, the undersigned photographers, hereby protest the unjust arrest and conviction of Raúl Figueroa Sarti.

On August 6th, 2009, this prestigious Guatemalan editor was sentenced to one year in prison for copyright violation, as the result of a complaint brought by a photographer for the allegedly-unauthorized publication of a photograph on the cover of a novel.

The court reached this sentence despite the complainant’s own testimony that he lied under oath about the essentials of his claim, and despite there being no precedent in Guatemalan case law for a conviction and sentence of this nature.

As photographers working in Guatemala and abroad, we support photographers’ rights and the protection of copyright. Our livelihoods depend on our right to just compensation for our work, and access to legal recourse when compensation is denied. But we also support Raul Figueroa Sarti.
We, the undersigned photographers, therefore respectfully submit the following:

Whereas the sentencing of Figueroa Sarti to one year in prison far exceeds the bounds of reasonable compensation in a case of this nature;

Whereas the complaining photographer’s actions in bringing this unjust claim diminish the reputation and professionalism of photographers in Guatemala and abroad;

Whereas unjust application of copyright law threatens the integrity of the legal system that we all depend on, and is therefore a threat to all of us;

And whereas the prosecution of Figueroa Sarti under these circumstances undermines freedom of expression for all in Guatemala – photographers, authors, publishers, and citizens;

We urge Guatemala’s Attorney General to support Figueroa’s appeal against his conviction. We furthermore urge the Public Prosecutor to vacate the conviction against Raúl Figueroa Sarti, and seek a judgment of acquittal.

Signed,

Saladin Ambar (United States)
Kate Ahl (United Kingdom)
Rosane Arantes (United States)
Marilyn Anderson (United States)
Vaughn Anderson (United States)
Victoria Constance Odhner Austin (United States)
Raymond Baldino (United States)
Krittika Banerjee (India)
Brendan Bannon (Kenya)
Elande Baro (United States)
Amanda Barrett (United States)
Jaime Barrios Carillo (Guatemala)
Derrill Bazzy (United States)
Sally Be (United States)
Ingrid Benavente (Guatemala)
Michael London Berube (United States)
Alyson Black (United States)
Yvonne Blank (United States)
Becky Blosser (United States)
Kitty Brophy (United States)
Jamie Bruno (United States/South Korea)
Scott Bruton (United States)
Rima Buaini (United Kingdom)
Brian Butterick (United States)
Paul Cabuts (United Kingdom)
Dan Campbell (United States)
Aner Candelario (United States)
Robert Carrithers (United States/Czech Republic)
Vicente Chapero Ayala (Guatemala)
Annia Ciezadlo (Lebanon)
Celestine Compton (United States)
Amber Cooper (United States)
Ruben Cordova (United States)
Lenny Correa (United States/South Korea)
Beatriz Cortez (United States)
Jessa-Raye Court (United States)
Michael Crockfords (United States)
Richard Cusumano (United States)
Vicenta Del Carmen Valero (United States)
Anthony Dominiczak (United States)
Jesse Douglas (United States)
Kimberly Dowd (United States)
Chloe Dzubilo (United States)
Karen Elliot (United States)
Krystal Eversdyk (United States)
Kareen Lynn Erbe (Peru)
Jacinta Escudos (El Salvador)
Faramarz Farbod (Iran/United States)
Benjamin Fasching-Gray (United States/Austria)
Josephine Fasching-Gray (United States)
Elizabeth Felicella (United States)
Lilian Fernandez Hall (Argentina/Sweden)
Ann Filemyr (United States)
John Finney (United States)
Erin Finzer (United States)
Kate Flint (United States)
Fiona Flynn (United Kingdom)
Jeff Freeby (United States)
Valeria Garrote (Argentina/United States)
Emmet Gowin (United States)
Christina Griffith (United States)
Michelet Gros (United States)
David de Gruyl (United States)
May Hamdan (United States)
Laura Hamilton (United States)
Susan Hannaford (United States)
Kirk Henritzy (United States)
Brianne Henry (United States)
Claudia Hernández (El Salvador)
Jamaila Hernandez (United States)
Joelle Howald (United States)
Charlie Hoyt (United States)
Gareth Hughes (United Kingdom/Germany)
Brian Humphreys (United States)
Alice Hunsberger (United States)
Alexa Hunter (United States)
Lynn Hunter (United States)
Chad Huntington (United States)
Rana Jaleel (United States)
Dany Johnson (United States)
María José Castaing (France)
Nicky Karluk (United States)
Sasha Kaye (United States)
Laura Kennedy (United States)
Brendan Kirkpatrick (United States)
Ray Klimek (United States)
Elric Kline (United States)
Ron Kline (United States)
Jennifer Kolarsick (United States)
Lisa Konoplisky (United States)
Justin Koren (United States)
Beth Lavely (United States)
James Lavoy (United States)
Brad Lawton (United States)
Sue-Yee Leung (United States)
Dick Lynn (United States)
Sara Mana (Italy/United States)
Ann Marsden (United States)
Larry McAllister II (United States)
Challiss McDonough (United States/Spain/Afghanistan)
Diane McGovern (United States)
Susan Meiselas (United States)
Erica Melville (United States)
Barbara Millman (United States)
Jonathan Moller (United States)
Delilah Montoya (United States)
Pablo Mosteiro Romero (Argentina/United States)
Adam Mumford (United States)
Chuck Nanney (United States)
John Normile (United States)
Vanessa Núñez Handal (Guatemala)
David Odo (United States)
Edward Ott (United States)
Laila Ozols-Gillespie (Canada/United States)
Matt Pacenza (United States)
Morgan Page (United States)
April Palmieri (United States)
Jen Park (United States)
Deb Parker (United States)
Jess Parsons (United States)
Anne Percoco (United States)
Angela Perkins DeSoto (United States)
Ignacia Perugorría (Argentina/Spain)
Justine Pippitt (United States)
Amy Pratico (United States)
Patrick Rice (United States)
Teri Rice (United States)
José Luis Rodríguez Pittí (Panama)
Shawna Romero (United States)
Tom Russotti, New York (United States)
Christa Salamandra (United States)
David Sananman (United States)
John Sanchez (United States)
Greg Schaal (United States)
Hilma Schmoock Pivaral (Guatemala)
Marlene Schrantz (United States)
David Seiter (United States)
Eunice Shade (Nicaragua)
Andre Afrodite Shoals (United States)
Misty Shores (United States)
Jean-Marie Simon (United States)
Linda Simpson (United States)
Faujja Singh (United States)
Joseph Sorrentino (United States)
Kristen Sprague Sibrel (United States)
Amy Squires (United States)
Sally Stein (United States)
Steve Stoll (United States)
Doug Stoveken (United States)
Jiawei Sun (China/United States
Jason Turovskiy (United States)
Alina Vamanu (United States)
Fanny Vocanson (United States)
Minglian Wang (China/United States)
Ken West (United States)
Charlotte Whalen (United States)
Andy Whyland (United States)
Raymond Yazbeck (Lebanon
Wenjia Yuan (China/United States)
Christina Yuin (United States)
Michele Zalopany (United States)
Venus Beinan Zhang (United States)