Support Carlos Peyrin, Political Prisoner in Chile

In October 2019, the people of Chile took to the streets to protest decades of rising inequality, poverty, and the continued imposition of the Pincohet constitution. The government of Sebastian Pinera responded harshly, deploying the military onto the streets and declaring "we are at war against a powerful enemy." Over the course of the protests thousands of Chileans have been detained. Today over 2,500 people now languish in Chilean jails as political prisoners.  Through the Chile Solidarity Network, we, a group of students and academics at the University of Sheffield, have been trying to offer support to those imprisoned over the course of the uprising.

One of those detained over the course of the demonstrations was Carlos Peyrin Matamala. Carlos is 32 years old and the sole provider for his family. He was arrested on 3 December 2019 by the PDI (civilian police) and transferred to a detention centre. Carlos was kept naked, without food and sleep for various days in a dark room, only having the light on when he was interrogated. The police forcibly took photos of him dressed with a balaclava and these were sent to the TV channels in order to intimidate those on the front line of the demonstrations. Based on the false evidence (believed to be a set up by the police) he was charged for throwing an incendiary device at a police van. The lawyer assigned by the state urged Carlos to plead guilty promising that we would go free. Instead, he received a prison sentence for 3 years and 1 day. This sentence can be extended indefinitely.

We are currently in the process of appealing Carlos' sentence. Presently Carlos is categorised as a dangerous criminal and is housed in the 'El Manzano' maximum security prison. We are aiming to support him through the process of being reclassified so he can take Sunday leave from prison as well as take up work and education while he is detained. This requires the payment of expensive professional fees for an assessment by a psychologist and a social worker. The assessment is very soon, so we need the donations as soon as possible.  We also need funds to help Carlos pay for clothes and food. As this is a "concessioned" prison, these costs must be paid by the prisoners themselves. 

For more information about Carlos' situation, please consult these articles about his arrest and our campaign in support of his cause. To find out more about the Chile Solidarity Network's Sponsor a Political Prisoner programme, visit their website here .