General Jose Francisco Gallardo Rodriguez was released from prison in February 2002 after Mexican President Fox ordered his sentence commuted to time served. Amnesty International and other groups that consider him a prisoner of conscience welcomed Gallardo's release but said they were disappointed that it "stopped short of full justice."

"President Fox has taken a number of positive steps in recent months to release prisoners of conscience, but the real challenge for the administration is to tackle the root causes that allowed the misuse of the judicial system to detain and convict social activists or critics."

Gallardo, a former military professor, ran afoul of military justice in 1993 after he published a master's thesis highly critical of the Army for systematic corruption and human rights abuses. He called for the establishment of an independent human rights ombudsman and recommended other institutional changes. He was jailed within days of the article's publication and charged with defaming the Army. After those charges were thrown out, military prosecutors opened numerous cases against him for fraud and embezzlement. He was convicted by two special military courts in 1998, over the outcry of human rights groups inside and outside Mexico, and given a 28-year sentence.

Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience in 1994. In 1996 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called for Gallardo's immediate release and compensation, and for the investigation and punishment of those responsible for his persecution.

Fox, who campaigned for an end to impunity and corruption had raised hopes that Mexico's commitment to human rights would noticeably improve. Gallardo's case was considered to be one of the obvious choices for Presidential correction. Intense lobbying by the Attorney General's office and the Defense Ministry kept Fox from acting on Gallardo's case for over a year after taking office, and concluded with less than a full pardon. Demonstrating, according to Amnesty, a troubling indicator for the possibilities of real change, "The case of General Gallardo offers the Mexican authorities an ideal opportunity to review and reform the role and functioning of military justice and its relation to the civilian courts in order that Mexico meets its international human rights obligations. If these profound changes are not set in motion, then President Fox's decision will have achieved little lasting impact and will have failed to strengthen the rule of law and human rights in Mexico."

Since his release, General Gallardo has been a visible and vocal presence for human rights reform, calling for freedom for other political prisoners and supporting indigenous activists in Loxicha, Atenco, and Chiapas.

General Gallardo is touring the US in November to speak about his case and about the Mexican military justice system, US military and drug policies in Mexico, the effects of 9/11 on Mexican-US security cooperation, the interamerican human rights system and other topics.

Global Exchange and the University of Washington Chapter of Amnesty International are bringing Gen. Gallardo to Seattle on November 19, time and place to be announced. For more info contact troys@eskimo.com.