Over 40 Protesters Ordered to Be Arrested in Jujuy, Argentina

The Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) of Argentina reported Thursday that there have been more than 40 arrest warrants issued in the last few hours for members of social organizations that demonstrated against the constitutional reform promoted by Governor Gerardo Morales.

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"Raids continue in Jujuy and there have been more than 40 arrest warrants in the last hours. Most of the people detained are leaders of different social, union, indigenous, and political organizations," CELS said in a statement. 

On Wednesday, there were 22 warrants in the city of Humahuaca against people who participated in a march on June 30 in rejection of the reform. At least five of these orders have already been executed, and today 20 more were added.

Members of the Humahuaca Deliberative Council denounced that the request for search and arrest was made by the prosecutor, Enrique Alancay, who accused the demonstrators of "sedition and illegitimate deprivation of liberty."

There are trade unionists, representatives of native peoples, indigenous people, teachers, and even municipal employees. 

Jujuy: new raids and arrests for protesting against the constitutional reform. Between yesterday and today, the prosecutors' offices of Humahuaca and San Salvador ordered the search and arrest of more than 40 people for their participation in different protests.

These events are related to what happened on July 1st, when the Deliberative Council  of Humahuaca was debating the approval or rejection of the controversial reform. On that occasion, there was a demonstration in front of the Council building, and "the police of Jujuy reacted by repressing the demonstrators; there were serious injuries, among them young people who lost their sight," CELS pointed out.  

"They are trying to pass off this mobilization as an attempt at sedition and kidnapping. The prosecutor's office and the judge decided to criminalize social protest," said the entity. 

Illegal entry of the provincial police into the National University of Jujuy

On Wednesday afternoon, the police of Jujuy entered the National University of the territory (UnJu) without identification. This occurred in the middle of a meeting of the Superior Council that was debating the repudiation of the constitutional reform. 

Teachers and students denounced the illegal entry of the Provincial Police, something that is prohibited by the Argentine Constitution. 

"These actions violate university autonomy and academic freedom. The actions are of the utmost gravity and institutional condition and interfere with the possibilities of dialogue for the generation of consensus and solutions in moments of high sensitivity and social tension," denounced the university. 

The constitutional reform promoted by Governor Morales entailed setbacks in basic rights and unleashed protests that have been heavily repressed by police forces. Its articles limit the right to protest and affect the rights of indigenous peoples.