CARTA ABIERTA AL PRESIDENTE JUAN MANUEL SANTOS

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

Académicos Internacionales hacen llamado al Presidente por la libertad del preso político colombiano, Dr. Miguel Ángel Beltrán

Más de 4,000 académicos internacionales han enviado una carta abierta al presidente colombiano exigiendo la libertad del Dr. Miguel Ángel Beltrán, académico colombiano encarcelado desde Mayo 2009 sin haber sido condenado por ningún delito.

Los firmantes de la carta (copia adjunta) incluyen el Premio Nobel Professor Sir Richard Roberts, académicos de más de 20 países y más de 300 profesores universitarios destacados. Según la carta, el Dr. Beltrán “ha sido encarcelado con el fin de silenciarle y de amedrentar a quienes intenten dar viva voz a sus ideas opositoras.” Acusan al régimen colombiano de violar el derecho a la libertad de expresión y manifiestan que “El alto número de presos políticos en las cárceles colombianas…desmiente las declaraciones relativas a que su Gobierno estaría dispuesto a mejorar la política de respeto a los derechos humanos.”

Sally Hunt, líder de la Asociación británica de Profesores Universitarios, dijo “El Dr. Beltrán es un hombre inocente encarcelado por un régimen intolerante que está resuelto a suprimir toda crítica. Es hora que la comunidad internacional denuncie lo que está pasando en Colombia y de que las autoridades colombianas liberen al Dr. Beltrán así como a todos los demás presos políticos.”

Actualmente Colombia tiene detenido miles de presos políticos en condiciones horrorosas.

La parlamentaria británica Madeleine Moon, una de los miembros del Grupo parlamentario ‘Amigos de Colombia’, el cual tiene más de 60 parlamentarios miembros, dijo ““La gran tragedia de Colombia es que los más inteligentes y mejores de sus pensadores y activistas están encarcelados o han sido asesinados. Una visita reciente para hablar con presas políticas en una cárcel de mujeres demostró el miedoso que es el Estado ante la crítica y libertad de expresión.”

La carta y listado de firmantes se registran a continuaciñon:

CARTA ABIERTA AL PRESIDENTE JUAN MANUEL SANTOS

Señor Presidente:

Los abajo firmantes nos dirigimos a Ud. para expresarle que nos sumamos al apoyo que solicita la campaña internacional por la libertad del académico colombiano Dr. Miguel Ángel Beltrán, quien cumple ya más de 22 meses detenido en la cárcel de La Picota, Bogotá, sin que haya sido ser condenado por delito alguno.
El Dr. Beltrán ha sido acusado de “rebelión”, y tildado falsamente de terrorista por el Estado colombiano.
Sabemos que el trabajo académico de Dr. Beltrán fue crítico del régimen colombiano, y todo indica que, como les ha ocurrido a tantos otros en Colombia, ha sido encarcelado con el fin de silenciarle y de amedrentar a quienes intenten dar viva voz a sus ideas opositoras.
Creemos que el pensamiento crítico y la libertad de expresión son esenciales para toda sociedad verdaderamente democrática. Sin embargo, la prolongada detención del Dr. Beltrán demuestra que en Colombia dichos valores son considerados delictuales.
El alto número de presos políticos en las cárceles colombianas - sean académicos, sindicalistas, dirigentes comunitarios u otros activistas de la sociedad civil - desmiente las declaraciones relativas a que su Gobierno estáría dispuesto a mejorar la política de respeto a los derechos humanos.
Por consiguiente, le instamos con todo respeto a que ordene la libertad inmediata de Dr. Beltrán con el objeto de poner pronto fin a esta situación vergonzosa.

Le saludamos,

Con la mayor atención
Professor Sir Richard Roberts, Nobel Prize Winner
Professor Sir John Ball, Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Oxford
Lady Ruth Lister CBE, Social Sciences, Loughborough University
Professor Edward Acton, Vice Chancellor, University of East Anglia
Sally Hunt, General Secretary, University and College Union
Mr Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary, National Tertiary Education Union Australia
Alan Whitaker, President, University and College Union
Terry Hoad, Vice President, University and College Union

Y más de 4000 académicos internacionales más.
(Lista completa disponible en http://www.ucu.org.uk/Beltranopenletter)
Professor Christine MacLeod University of Bristol
Professor Eric Matthews University of Aberdeen
Professor Stephen Stradling Edinburgh Napier University
Professor Isobel Murray University of Aberdeen
Professor Chris Eilbeck Heriot-Watt University
Professor Rosemary Sales Middlesex University
Professor Elisabeth Lillie University of Ulster
Professor Ian Cook Liverpool John Moores University
Professor Bruce Wood Bangor University
Professor Lisa Tickner Middlesex University
Professor Stephen Clark University of Liverpool
Professor Michael Page University of Portsmouth
Professor Jonathan Rosenhead London School of Economics
Professor Jonathan White University of Essex
Professor Alan Barnard University of Edinburgh
Professor Adrian Bagust University of Liverpool
Professor Anna Gruetzner Robins University of Reading
Professor Anne Richards Birkbeck College
Professor Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos University of Westminster
Professor Bridget Fowler University of Glasgow
Professor Alfonso Molina The University of Edinburgh
Professor Anthony Phelan University of Oxford
Professor Andrew Knapp University of Reading
Professor Christine Gray University of Cambridge
Professor Michael Clague University of Liverpool
Professor Ann Phoenix Institute of Education, University of London
Professor Ciaran Driver Imperial College London
Professor Catherine Pope University of Southampton
Professor David Preece University of Teesside
Professor Ellen Annandale University of Leicester
Professor Chris Atkin Liverpool Hope University
Professor Dora Kostakopoulou University of Manchester
Professor Brian Walker Queen's University Belfast
Professor Frances Gotch Imperial College London
Professor Chris Walsh University of Chester
Professor Ewa Dabrowska Northumbria University
Professor John Barrell University of York
Professor Ernest Rutter University of Manchester
Professor Helen Beebee University of Birmingham
Professor Ad Putter University of Bristol
Professor Eric Olson University of Sheffield
Professor Engelbert Stockhammer Kingston University
Professor Professor Robin Attfield Cardiff University
Professor Helen Gilbert Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Gabriella Giannachi Exeter University
Professor Charlie Lewis Lancaster University
Professor Hermann J Muller Birkbeck, University of London
Professor Hannah Barker University of Manchester
Professor Chandak Sengoopta Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Michael Bowker Cardiff University
Professor Helen Graham Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor John Harding University of Sheffield
Professor Carol Thomas Lancaster University
Professor Gavin Bremner Lancaster University
Professor Guy Halsall University of York
Professor Jose Esteban Castro Newcastle University
Professor Clive Upton University of Leeds
Professor John Dunne University of the West of England
Professor Jean Boase-Beier University of East Anglia
Professor David Rand University of Warwick
Professor Andy Hone University of Kent
Professor Chris Flood University of Surrey
Professor Graham Mort Lancaster University
Professor Colin Brooks Newcastle University
Professor Henry Maitles University of the West of Scotland
Professor Lucy Suchman Lancaster University
Professor Dr David W Chadwick University of Kent
Professor Iain Sutcliffe Northumbria University
Professor Julian Williams The University of Manchester
Professor Ali Tasiran Middlesex University
Professor Malcolm Povey University of Leeds
Professor Eve Rosenhaft University of Liverpool
Professor Kenn Gerdes Newcastle University
Professor Alan Morgan University of Liverpool
Professor Greville Corbett University of Surrey
Professor Mike Thelwall University of Wolverhampton
Professor Charles Esdaile University of Liverpool
Professor Mark Hobart SOAS, University of London
Professor Gareth Gaskell University of York
Professor Michael Rowlinson Queen Mary's University of London
Professor Meg Maguire King's College London
Professor Mary McMurran University of Nottingham
Professor Mona Baker University of Manchester
Professor Dorothy Edgington Birkbeck, University of London
Professor Laurie Loughborough university
Professor Geoff Hall Imperial College London
Professor Geraldine McNeill University of Aberdeen
Professor Moira Vincentelli Aberystwyth University
Professor Les Hatton Kingston University
Professor Paschal Sheeran University of Sheffield
Professor Mike Michael Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Owen Davies University of Hertfordshire
Professor Mark Broom City University
Professor Maureen Freely University of Warwick
Professor Martyn Hammersley The Open University
Professor Jem Poster Aberystwyth University
Professor Elizabeth Archibald University of Bristol
Professor Bernard Harris University of Southampton
Professor Phillipp Schofield Aberystwyth University
Professor Peter Comninos Bournemouth University
Professor Raphael Rouquier University of Oxford
Professor Rachel Gibson University of Manchester
Professor Richard Wrigley University of Nottingham
Professor Piers Hellawell The Queen's University of Belfast
Professor Ronnie Lippens Keele University
Professor Paul Busch University of York
Professor XU Jing Peking University
Professor Susan Reid University of Sheffield
Professor Liz Todd Newcastle University
Professor Susan Michie University College London
Professor Farzad Khosrowshahi Salford University
Professor Richard Healey University of Portsmouth
Professor Javier Guitian The Royal Veterinary College
Professor Ian Inkster Nottingham Trent University
Professor Bob Jessop Lancaster University
Professor Steve Tombs John Moores University
Professor Lorna Hutson University of St Andrews
Professor Tony Cass Imperial College London
Professor John Wolffe The Open University
Professor William Outhwaite Newcastle University
Professor Simon Thompsson University of Kent
Professor Laura Mulvey Birkbeck, University of London
Professor Steve Gill University of Wales Institute Cardiff
Professor Emma Clery University of Southampton
Professor Vicky Lebeau University of Sussex
Professor Gregory R. Maio Cardiff University
Professor Jenny Hamilton University of London
Professor Patrick Williams Nottingham Trent University
Professor Simon McQueen-Mason University of York
Professor Greg Woolf University of St Andrews
Professor Zygmunt G Baranski University of Cambridge
Professor Colin Manchester University of Warwick
Professor Duncan Lewis University of Plymouth
Professor Michael Murray Keele University
Professor Matthew Humphreys Kingston University
Professor David Adams Manchester University
Professor Mark Mon-Williams Leeds University
Professor Catherine Wang Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Ursula Lucas University of the West of England
Professor Roland Gehrels University of Plymouth
Professor Maurice Whitehead Swansea University
Professor Robert MacDonald Teesside University
Professor John Newsinger Bath Spa university
Professor Thomas Collett University of Sussex
Professor Michael Keating University of Aberdeen
Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor University of Hull
Professor Stephen Hodkinson University of Nottingham
Professor Chris Lawn Queen Mary, University of London
Professor John J McGavin University of Southampton
Professor Anand Pillay University of Leeds
Professor Bill Overton Loughborough University
Professor Mary Cotter University of Aberdeen
Professor Roger Smith De Montfort University
Professor Nicholas Till University of Sussex
Professor Kimberly Hutchings London School of Economics
Professor Sharon Gewirtz King's College London
Professor Pauline Maclaran Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Richard Williams University of Liverpool
Professor Nel Lazarus University of Warwick
Professor Nina Biehal University of York
Professor Philip Moriarty University of Nottingham
Professor Kirsten Stalker University of Strathclyde
Professor Julian Killingley Birmingham City University
Professor Katrin Kohl University of Oxford
Professor Gabrielle Hawksworth University of Aberdeen
Professor Thomas O'Malley Aberystwyth University
Professor Christopher Smyth University of Edinburgh
Professor Paul Rogers University of Glamorgan
Professor Ann Blandford University College London
Professor Max Silverman University of Leeds
Professor Z Ghassemlooy Northumbria University
Professor T.Welton Imperial College London
Professor Wendy Hollway Open University
Professor Michael Billig Loughborough University
Professor Gwyn Williams Keele University
Professor Yvonne Rydin University College London
Professor Claire Kilpatrick European University Institute
Professor Ibrahim Sirkeci Regent's College
Professor Henrik J Jensen Imperial College London
Professor William Martin University of Glasgow
Professor Robert Evans Oxford University
Professor N.L.Simmons University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Professor Valerie Fraser University of Essex
Professor John Loughlin Newcastle University
Professor Mark Bell University of Leicester
Professor John Mohan University of Southampton
Professor Waltraud Ernst Oxford Brookes University
Professor Leslie Smith University of Stirling
Professor Robin Fiddian University of Oxford
Professor G Brenton Swansea University
Professor Kees van der Pijl University of Sussex
Professor Suman Gupta The Open University
Professor Vivien Gardner University of Manchester
Professor Malcolm Heggie University of Sussex
Professor Neil Mercer University of Cambridge
Professor Rosalind Edwards University of Southampton
Professor Peter Emery King's College London
Professor Stan Heptinstall University of Nottingham
Professor David Mond University of Warwick
Professor Odette Parry Glyndwr University
Professor Keith Reader University of Glasgow
Professor Michael Clemens University of Sussex
Professor Richard Bornat Middlesex University
Professor John Arnold Loughborough University
Professor Lester Hunt University of Surrey
Professor Paul McCrone King's College London
Professor Stephen Dixon Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor John Shawe-Taylor University College London
Professor Stephen Nugent Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Laurence Goldstein University of Kent
Professor Peter Hampson University of the West of England
Professor Tim May University of Salford
Professor Linda M Kirkham Robert Grodon University
Professor Roderick Flower Queen Mary, University of London
Professor Rob Bryer Warwick University
Professor Peter Coleman University of Southampton
Professor Barbara McPake Queen Margaret University
Professor Simon Ross Durham University
Professor Lucy Wyatt University of Sheffield
Professor Dory Scaltsas University of Edinburgh
Professor Matthew Kieran University of Leeds
Professor Nick Hewlett University of Warwick
Professor Richard Challis University of Nottingham
Professor Alison Phipps University of Glasgow
Professor Mick Carpenter University of Warwick
Professor Hector Iacovides University of Manchester
Professor Paul Cooke University of Leeds
Professor Susan Pyne University of Strathclyde
Professor Carole Truman University of Bolton
Professor Guido Rings Anglia Ruskin University
Professor Brian T Sutcliffe Universite Libre de Bruxelles
Professor Inderjeet Parmar University of Manchester
Professor Susanne Kord University College London
Professor Marcus Giaquinto University College London
Professor Scott Poynting Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Brian L Day University College London
Professor Simon Wheeler University of Glasgow
Professor David Applebaum University of Sheffield
Professor Raphael Salkie University of Brighton
Professor Jennifer Birkett University of Birmingham
Professor Pauline Croft University of London
Professor John McManus York St John University
Professor Malcolm Cowburn Sheffield Hallam University
Professor Martin Jones University of Cambridge
Professor Michael Carrithers Durham University
Professor Ragnhild Sollund University of Oslo
Professor Alistair Mutch Nottingham Trent University
Professor Demetres D Kouvatsos University of Bradford
Professor Ailsa Land London School of Economics
Professor Anthony Carbery University of Edinburgh
Professor Roger Marsh University of York
Professor Susan Broadhurst Brunel University
Professor Karl Figlio University of Essex
Professor Colvin University of Birmingham
Professor Noel Burton-Roberts Newcastle University
Professor Jutta Weldes University of Bristol
Professor Sonia McKay London Metropolitan University
Professor Richard Baines University of Manchester
Professor Nigel Thomas University of Central Lancashire
Professor Naz Rassool University of Reading
Professor Jenny Cheshire Queen Mary University of London
Professor Mary Thorpe The Open University
Professor Terry Tetley Imperial College London
Professor Paulo Lisboa Liverpool John Moores University
Professor John Roe University of York
Professor Marek Zvelebil Sheffield University
Professor Simon Harrison University of Ulster
Professor James E. Montgomery University of Cambridge
Professor Alister Burr University of York
Professor I Mhairi Macrae University of Glasgow
Professor David Margolies Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Donald Filtzer University of East London
Professor Richard McGregor University of Cumbria
Professor Rhys Jenkins University of East Anglia
Professor Maureen McNeil Lancaster University
Professor David Inglis University of Aberdeen
Professor John Jowett University of Birmingham
Professor Ian Sillitoe University of Wolverhampton
Professor Christine Hallett University of Manchester
Professor Gary Thomas University of Birmingham
Professor Stoneley University of Reading
Professor Gregory Philo Glasgow University
Professor Rob Gray University of St Andrews
Professor Niall A Logan Glasgow Caledonian University
Professor Daniel Wight Medical research Council
Professor Alan Sokal University College London
Professor Robert Newcombe Cardiff University
Professor John Schad University of Lancaster
Professor Michal Lyons London South Bank University
Professor Jean La Fontaine London School of Economics
Professor David Clarke Newcastle University
Professor Carole Leathwood London Metropolitan University
Professor Stuart Macdonald Sheffield University
Professor Jonathan Gregory University of Reading
Professor R West University College London
Professor David B. Clarke Swansea University
Professor Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto University of Leicester
Professor Catherine O'Donnell University of Glasgow
Professor David Downes London School of Economics
Professor Mirna Dzamonja University of East Anglia
Professor Magnus Rattray University of Sheffield
Professor Andrew Sayer Lancaster University
Professor Joanna Woodall The Courtauld Institute of Art
Professor Luke Martell University of Sussex
Professor Lindsay Lancaster University
Professor Gesine Reinert University of Oxford
Professor Eric Cross Newcastle University
Professor Richard Jackson Aberystwyth University
Professor Heather Joshi Institute of Education
Professor Jim Howie Heriot-Watt University
Professor Jean Besson Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Karen O'Reilly Loughborough University
Professor Helen Hackett University College London
Professor Daniel Karlin University of Bristol
Professor Richard Eglese Lancaster University
Professor Chris Berry Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Peter Hallward Kingston University
Professor CR Thomas University of Birmingham
Professor Julian Stallabrass Courtauld Institute of Art
Professor Ray Bush University of Leeds
Professor Vic Grout Glyndwr University
Professor Andrew Williams University of Warwick
Professor Carole-Anne Upton University of Ulster
Professor John Barrett University of Nottingham
Professor John O'Neill Manchester University
Professor John Gledhill The University of Manchester
Professor Rajmil Fischman Keele University
Professor Ros King University of Southampton
Professor Andrew Gilbert University of Exeter
Professor Stephen Nugent Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor Steven French University of Leeds
Professor Mark Cowling Teesside University
Professor Nicky Britten University of Exeter
Professor Huw Pryce Bangor University
Professor Malcolm Barber University of Reading
Professor Andy Penaluna Swansea Metropolitan University
Professor Ifor Samuel University of St Andrews
Professor Anthony McFarlane University of Warwick
Professor Phillip Lawler Swansea University
Professor Carla Willig City University
Professor Joyce Canaan Birmingham City University
Professor Gareth Morgan Sheffield Hallam University
Professor Anthony Hozier Rose Bruford College
Professor Richard Wistreich Royal Northern College of Music
Professor Charis Thompson University of California
Professor Emilie L. Bergmann University of California
Professor D. Allen Sheffield Hallam University
Professor Christopher J. Green Loughborough University
Professor Michael Shaw University of Reading
Professor Ian Duncan University of California
Professor Gobet Brunel University London
Professor SUSAN WALDRON University of Glasgow
Professor Daniella Acker Bristol University
Professor Stephen Church University of East Anglia
Professor Martin Hooper University of Edinburgh
Professor Henrik Tham Stockholm University
Professor Mary Davis Aston University
Professor Gen Doy De Montfort University
Professor Ben Rampton King's College London
Professor Ewan Fernie University of Birmingham
Professor Fiona Leach University of Sussex
Professor Graeme University of Chester
Professor Sylvia Harvey University of Leeds
Professor Alex Miller University of Birmingham
Professor Gemma Moss Institute of Education, University of London
Professor Robin Attfield Cardiff University
Professor Yosefa Loshitzky University of East London
Professor Kirsten Stalker, University of Strathclyde
Professor Alan Sokal, University College London
Professor Jonathan Glover, King’s College London
Professor Piers Hellawell, Queen’s University Belfast

Y más de 4000 académicos internacionales más.
(Lista completa disponible en http://www.ucu.org.uk/Beltranopenletter)