Peru: Ancash Court Dismisses Charges Against 18 Indigenous Leaders http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10092%3Aperu-ancash-court-dismisses-charges-against-18-indigenous-leaders&catid=53%3Asouth-america-indigenous-peoples&Itemid=75

After the unjust order of 30 years' imprisonment for indigenous leaders in defending the Condorhuain hill side from mining invasion, the First Chamber of the Court of Justice of Ancash determined to invalidate the indictment against the 18 farmers because it lacks valid arguments and now the prosecution should be clarified or decided whether to withdraw the charges or reformulate their request.The court stated that the procedural flaws are glaring, indicating that the prosecution acted with premeditation and cruelty against indigenous leaders because they are not individual charges,

the prosecution has no technical arguments and is not supported by evidence. The case was returned to the fiscal framework of the Cross Mirror for correction stating the charges and evidence and desist his indictment.This situation is reached after the peaceful protests that occurred in 2007, when indigenous communities were mobilized to the Condorhuain hill, located in the rural community of Paccha to protest mining in the hill by the mining company Barrick Misquichilca.The farmers believe the Condorhuain hill as a sacred place and where water sources are essential to their agricultural activities and consumption.