Pierina Nochetti, a lesbian human rights activist, is facing criminal charges of “aggravated damage” for allegedly painting graffiti in protest questioning the disappearance of a young trans man in the city of Necochea, Argentina. Her trial is scheduled for 6 March. The charges appear to be an unnecessary and disproportionate restriction on the right to freedom of expression.
take action:
- Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
- Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 3.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.
Contact information:
José Luis Cipolletti,
Head prosecutor, UFI n°1, Departamental Necochea
Public Prosecutor’s Office of the
Province of Buenos Aires
Adress: Avenida 75, 371, Necochea, PBA, CP: 7630
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Embassy of Argentina in the United States
Ambassador Jorge Argüellos
1600 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
Email: [email protected]
sample letter:
Dear Head Prosecutor Jose Luis Cipolletti,
I am concerned over the prosecution of Pierina Nochetti on charges of “aggravated damage” for allegedly painting graffiti on a public wall with the question “Where is Tehuel?”. This question has been a wide call of a collective claim for justice in the disappearance of a 21-year-old trans man who disappeared in 2021 when he was on his way to a job interview.
Pierina is an artist, educator, mother of three kids and the main provider for her family. She is also an employee of the local government, where she has already faced administrative reprisals for her activism during the 2022 Pride Parade, including salary reduction. Since there seems to be no record of accusations for other paintings on the same wall, which include hateful messages, I am concerned that she is being targeted for her activism in support of LGBTI+ rights, as well as for her gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.
I call on you to drop the charge of “aggravated damage” against Pierina Nochetti as it appears to be an unnecessary and disproportionate restriction on the right to freedom of expression. Imposing such charges on human rights defenders for freely expressing themselves sends a chilling message that could further curtail the right to protest peacefully.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION: Wordopens in a new tab or PDFopens in a new tab
- GET INSPIRED: Read about the people you have helped
- READ TIPS for writing effective letters and emails
- CONTACT US: [email protected]