For nine months, Mayan photojournalist Pedro Canche Herrera languished in jail, where he was denied a lawyer and bail. Canche has dedicated more than 20 years to fighting for Mayan communities. In 2014, he was taking photos of a protest, but was accused of trying to sabotage the Quintana Roo government. From August 30, 2014 to May 30, 2015, Canche was jailed, according to teleSur.
The United Nations have thrown their weight behind Canche. They were instrumental in getting him released, and they have also urged Quintana Roo Governor Roberto Borge Angulo to apologize and to compensate him for the time he spent behind bars. This week, his case will be submitted to the Executive Commission for Victim’s Care under the Istanbul Protocol, so that it can be determined whether or not he was treated cruelly and inhumanely.
Canche is hopeful that at the very least, protections are set in place so other journalists don’t face a similar situation.