The trial against Rocío Leandro Melgar, aka ‘Comrade Cusi‘, enters its decisive stage.
The sixth National Preparatory Investigation Court, in charge of the judge Leodán Cristóbal Ayalacarried out the final hearing of judicial control, where the Prosecutor’s Office seeks to bring to the accused for alleged terrorism activities and affiliation to subversive organizations.
In addition to Leandro Melgar, who is one of the central figures in this process, Alex Miguel Gómez Falcón, Fernando Quinto Cuba, Piero Giles Gamboa, Stephanie Jazmín Chumbes, Yulissa Gómez Ayala, José Manay Pillaca, and Lidio Arturo Canales Estantalian are also accused.
Defense alleges political persecution
At this hearing, the defense criticized the criminalization of social protest and emphasized that police reports are “mere police hypotheses, that is, they have no legal support” and that the Prosecutor’s Office bases its case on “diffuse evidence and ideological issues.”
Leandro Melgar’s lawyer, Juan Francisco Tulich Morales, argued that he wants to consider elements that “do not meet a quality of evidence, (but) are acts of research to obtain evidence.”
In addition, the defense argued that the witnesses of the Prosecutor’s Office, mostly police officers of the DIRCOTE, are not impartial, so the testimony of those who have armed the case cannot be admitted as evidence.
Prosecutor defends his evidence and accuses links with terrorism
The Prosecutor’s Office, however, said that there are sufficient evidence to demonstrate the relationship of the accused with subversive activities.
Regarding the accusations of the defense, the Attorney General’s Office said that “it is not about criminalizing the protest, but of dismantling networks linked to extremist groups.” In addition, he demanded a millionaire civil reparation for patrimonial and moral damage to the State.
On the alleged lack of impartiality in the witnesses, the Prosecutor’s Office replied that these are experts in the fight against terrorism, whose testimonies are key to understanding the context and magnitude of the facts.
What follows in the case?
Judge Ayala announced that he will evaluate the arguments before deciding what evidence will be admitted in the oral trial. Meanwhile, the defendants remain under restrictive measures, waiting for what could be a high -impact trial.
The final resolution on the tests will be known in the next few days and will mark the course of the case.
What goes from the case
Rocío Leandro Melgar, known as ‘Comrade Cusi’ was released the second week of December 2024, after the deadline of his preventive detention was overcome. The woman – Movadef’s military – is processed for her participation in the violent marches in the Ayacucho region that led to the taking of the airport and a tragic end with 10 deceased people.
The case is carried by the prosecutor Sheyda Vargas Franco of the Second Supraprovincial Criminal Prosecutor’s Office specialized in Human Rights, Interculturality and Crimes of Terrorism. The prosecutors presented an accusation for the crime of affiliation to terrorism before the sixth Court of Preparatory Investigation presided by Judge Leodán Cristobal Ayala. That is, the ‘Comrade Cusi’ will face said process in freedom.
After his release, Rocío Leandro Melgar moved to Huamanga to participate in activities in the defense front of the people of Ayacucho (Fredepa).
The ‘Comrade Cusi’ presided over Fredepa when the unfortunate events of Ayacucho happened. Well, from this organization he carried out activities so that the protests that sought the replacement of the coup Pedro Castillo are successful.
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