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OFFICIAL WEBSITE SUPPORTING CANADIAN WRONGFULLY JAILED IN MEXICO |
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Issuing organization: Ron Shewchuk Consulting Inc. NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Thursday, August 18, 2011 Pavel Kulisek Released from Mexican Prison Vindicated Canadian is Reunited With His Family as Three-and-a-Half-Year Ordeal Ends NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. - Pavel Kulisek's three-and-a-half-year nightmare ended on Tuesday, August 16 when he was cleared of all charges by a Mexican judge due to a lack of sufficient evidence and released from prison. Kulisek had a joyful private reunion with his wife Jirina, their two young daughters and other family members today after arriving at the Vancouver International Airport. "I am happy to be back home with my family and grateful for all the generous support we have received," says Kulisek. "I look forward to putting this terrible experience behind me and getting back to a normal life." While on an extended family vacation on the Baja Peninsula in March 2008, Kulisek was arrested in a police raid on a hot dog stand where he was having dinner with a local resident who shared his interest in dirt biking. The man turned out to be a major figure in the Tijuana drug trade, and Kulisek was falsely accused of drug trafficking and being a member of a criminal organization. Kulisek languished in prison for three and a half years without a trial. From the beginning, he insisted he was guilty of nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jirina Kulisek spent her time struggling to make a living and look after their children at the same time as she fought to expedite her husband's safe return to Canada. "I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to those who have supported and helped Pavel and our family during our painful journey over the past three years," she says. "Without all of you, my girls and I would not have survived this terrible ordeal. Thank-you for your ongoing kindness, generosity, love and support." A more detailed written acknowledgement from Jirina will be released soon. The Kuliseks have no immediate plans. "We hope to take the family on a camping trip," says Jirina. The Kulisek family requests that their privacy be respected by the media for the next 24 hours and that all interview requests be directed to the contact below. Media contact: Ron Shewchuk 604-351-1999, ron@ronshewchuk.com Second public rally planned as Pavel Kulisek's health crisis continues Pleas for government help for jailed Canadian in Mexico go unanswered NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. - The wife of jailed Canadian Pavel Kulisek has been denied up-to-date information about her husband's medical condition, and urgent pleas for help to address Kulisek's health crisis and end his Mexican prison nightmare continue to be ignored by the Harper government. Worried about Kulisek's safety and frustrated by government inaction, Kulisek's supporters are organizing a second public rally to draw public and government attention to his cause on Wednesday, April 27 at Highland Church in North Vancouver. The rally will begin at 6.00 p.m. and is timed to coincide with a federal election all-candidates meeting at the church. In 2008 Kulisek was falsely accused of having ties to Mexican drug lords. He has been imprisoned without a trial for over three years. On March 13, 2011, a desperate Kulisek tried to hang himself in his federal maximum-security prison cell and was transferred to a psychiatric prison in Mexico City. North Vancouver family practitioner Dr. Ramona Penner was able to visit Kulisek in the psychiatric prison shortly after his suicide attempt. Based on her observations of Kulisek's mental state, Dr. Penner is concerned that his life may be at risk if his three-year incarceration continues much longer. She has called for his return to Canada on humanitarian grounds so he can receive proper medical care. Meanwhile, Kulisek's wife Jirina has been unable to obtain current information about Pavel's health from Mexican officials, a situation that has made her even more deeply concerned for his well-being. "I have been told that I cannot have access to Pavel's medical information out of respect for his privacy, but as his wife I should have a right to know how he is being treated and if his health is in danger," she says, adding that Canadian authorities have refused to intervene on her behalf. "I am worried and afraid. My family needs help. I feel as if our country is letting us down." Second North Vancouver rally will draw attention to the urgency of Kulisek's situation Community organizer Lauren Ellis says that although a North Vancouver rally on April 16 attracted over 300 enthusiastic supporters and included statements of support from local politicians, the public outcry did not resolve Kulisek's dire situation. "What we need is tangible action from Prime Minister Harper to ensure Pavel's safety and help bring his unfair imprisonment to a timely end," she says. "It's now been over six weeks since Pavel's suicide attempt, and action to end this crisis is long overdue," says Ellis. "We have reached out to our Prime Minister in good faith, and he has not answered our pleas. We have no choice but to escalate our campaign and continue to draw attention to Pavel's cause." Some background Pavel Kulisek, an immigrant from the Czech Republic, arrived in Canada 20 years ago and worked hard to establish a successful building contracting company. He was on an extended and well-deserved family vacation with his wife and two young daughters in Mexico when he was the lone Canadian among several Mexicans arrested in a drug sting in March 2008. In the weeks leading up to his arrest, Kulisek had made friends with a local resident who shared his interest in dirt biking, unaware that the man was a high-ranking member of a drug cartel. Kulisek was arrested without a warrant and imprisoned for three months without being charged. His case has been delayed by red tape and legal wrangling ever since, with the chance of a trial at least eight months away. While Kulisek has languished in prison in Mexico, his wife Jirina and two young children have had only seven minutes per week of access to him by phone. Jirina and her daughters have had to move from their home into a refurbished garage to save money after spending over $100,000 to fund his legal defence. Media contact: Ron Shewchuk 604-351-1999, ron@ronshewchuk.com Web site: www.pavelkulisek.com Facebook page: "Support Pavel Kulisek" Twitter feed: @JusticeForPavel Pavel Kulisek Support blog The Province April 17, 2011 8:43 PM Ignatieff promises to step in for North Vancouver man jailed in Mexico Click here to read more: http://www.theprovince.com/Ignatieff+promises+step+North+Vancouver+jailed+Mexico/4631732/story.html#ixzz1JqPTJ6OC Tuesday, April 26, 2011 Apr 14, 2011 11:49 ET Public Support For Pavel Kulisek Grows as Three-Year Ordeal Reaches Crisis Point April 16 Rally Planned to Support Innocent Canadian Held in Mexican Prison NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 14, 2011) - Fearing that Canadian Pavel Kulisek might make a second desperate attempt to take his own life in a Mexican jail, a group of friends and community supporters are organizing a rally on Saturday, April 16 to draw attention to Kulisek's plight and call for his immediate return to Canada. Kulisek was falsely accused of having ties to Mexican drug lords and has been imprisoned without a trial for over three years. North Vancouver family practitioner Dr. Ramona Penner is concerned that Kulisek's life may be at risk if his three-year incarceration continues much longer. Dr. Penner, a family friend, recently visited Kulisek at a psychiatric prison in Mexico City, where he was transferred after he attempted to hang himself in his cell at Punta Grande federal maximum-security prison in Guadalajara on March 13. "Pavel was not himself during our visit," says Dr. Penner. "He was exhibiting manic behavior, and I'm worried that his brain may have been injured in his failed suicide attempt. Our conversation was disjointed and rambling, with Pavel jumping from topic to topic with pressured speech. He appeared to be delusional, with unrealistic expectations regarding his release." Dr. Penner says even if Kulisek is physically healthy, the stress of three years in Mexican prison without an opportunity to prove his innocence have likely driven him to a dangerous level of emotional instability. "It's clear that this situation has reached a crisis point, and I believe Pavel should be returned to Canada on humanitarian grounds so that he can receive proper medical care." North Vancouver rally will call for government action Lauren Ellis is part of a core group of North Vancouver community members working on a campaign to raise awareness of Kulisek's situation. She says Canadian diplomats and politicians, including North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton and Minister of State Diane Ablonczy, have been supportive of Kulisek and his family in many ways, including facilitating Dr. Penner's recent visit, but they have been reluctant to intervene in another country's affairs. "Canada's official position has been to show sympathy and concern, but to wait and allow the Mexican judicial system take its course," says Ellis. "Three long years have now gone by, and circumstances have changed for the worse. Immediate action is needed to save Pavel from this unbearable situation and reunite him with his family." Ellis says the April 16 rally is meant to be a wake-up call to government. "There's growing outrage in our community at Pavel's unfair treatment and violations of human rights at the hands of the Mexican law enforcement and judicial systems," says Ellis. "At this point the only way justice can be served is for Canada to intervene to protect one of its citizens who is in danger. If Pavel takes his own life it will be too late for justice." The April 16 rally, themed "Walk for Justice," will start at Carisbrooke Park on the corner of Lonsdale and Osborne at 10.00 a.m. and will end in Lower Lonsdale at the campaign office of Andrew Saxton. Some background Pavel Kulisek, an immigrant from the Czech Republic, arrived in Canada 20 years ago and worked hard to establish a successful building contracting company. He was on an extended and well-deserved family vacation with his wife and two young daughters in Mexico when he was the lone Canadian among several Mexicans arrested in a drug sting in March 2008. In the weeks leading up to his arrest, Kulisek had made friends with a local resident who shared his interest in dirt biking, unaware that the man was a high-ranking member of a drug cartel. Kulisek was arrested without a warrant and imprisoned for three months without being charged. His case has been delayed by red tape and legal wrangling ever since, with the chance of a trial at least eight months away. Most of the original charges against Kulisek have been dropped for lack of evidence, and the original prosecutor on the case is in jail for taking bribes. While Kulisek has languished in prison in Mexico, his wife Jirina and two young children have had only seven minutes per week of access to him by phone. Jirina and her daughters have had to move from their home into a refurbished garage to save money after spending over $100,000 to fund his legal defense. Facebook page: "Support Pavel Kulisek" | |