Report by Gabriela Zampedri: Unlike in 2017, when Eva Analía "Higui" de Jesús spent her birthday, June 7, in the Magdalena prison —she was released days later, on June 13—this time she celebrated her 44th birthday with an open-air festival, accompanied by her mother, family, friends, and activists. The festivities, which also included strong calls for justice for her and other cases, took place on Saturday in the plaza in front of the Garrahan Children's Hospital, at the intersection of Inclán and Pichincha streets in Buenos Aires.

[NOW] #Higui'sBirthday “Because I think about the lesbians who are alone and can't speak out, and I want to hug them. Because I don't want us to be persecuted anymore for being lesbians, or for them to kill us, or for us to kill each other because of this society.” pic.twitter.com/Rh7hE0jhDz

— Presentes Agency (@PresentesLGBT) June 9, 2018

The The story of Eva Higui de Jesús traveled the world: She was imprisoned for defending herself against a rape attempt by a gang of men who wanted to "correct" her lesbianism in October 2016. The date of her birthday is doubly significant: in addition to being Higui's anniversary, it also marks the first anniversary of her release. But the fight for justice for Higui is not over.

"Never again a victim of sexist justice"

"One year after her release, we continue to demand Higui's acquittal," the activists read in a statement. (See full text at the end of this note). "It's been a year since we achieved the release of our comrade Eva Analía Higui de Jesús and, through popular struggle, forced the hand of a lesbophobic judicial system that represses our bodies and identities. We demand the acquittal of Higui de Jesús! This cry for her acquittal must be heard loud and clear throughout the country so that..." Never again will there be a female comrade who is a victim of fascist men and a sexist, patriarchal, and heterosexist justice system.«. Higui is being prosecuted for the simple homicide of a man. Her claim of self-defense is not being considered, despite her statement that she was threatened with rape and despite the bruises on her body showing that she was attacked. Furthermore, she faced her arrest and the initial stage of the investigation without access to legal representation: she never saw the court-appointed lawyer. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4K0w16PtR8[/embed]

"One year after her release, we continue to demand acquittal for Higui," the statement read.

[READ MORE: #7M “The fight for justice for Higui is not over”]

 

[NOW] Higui'sBirthday #AbsolutionForAll A soccer game is on! pic.twitter.com/u2V1BatRc0

— Presentes Agency (@PresentesLGBT) June 9, 2018

At the festival, where there was no shortage of soccer, calls were made for the acquittal of Higui, of Joe Lemonge - a trans man accused of attempted homicide for defending himself against people who had been harassing him in Santa Elena (Entre Ríos) -, for Mariana Gómez and all of them #prosecutedfordefendingoneself and discriminated against because of their identity. Another powerful demand, which closed the festival: Justice for Diana Sacayán. Just days before the verdict in the transphobic murder of the human rights defender is announced on June 18, her brother Say Sacayán, a plaintiff in the trial and activist with MAL (Anti-Discrimination Liberation Movement), was also present at the festival.

Trans activist @almafernandezok , Higui de Jesús, Say Sacayán (organizer of the celebration), and @joelemonge conclude the day of celebration and activism demanding #JusticeForDianaSacayán while awaiting the verdict, which will be delivered on June 18. pic.twitter.com/iwcRJaYCuq

— Presentes Agency (@PresentesLGBT) June 9, 2018

Joe Lemonge  She also participated in Higui's birthday celebration, which included a fair, open radio broadcast, and activism until nightfall.

[NOW] The day of celebrations and activism is winding down, singing "Happy Birthday" to Higui 💘 #AcquittalForHigui #AcquittalForMariana #AcquittalForJoe #JusticeForDianaSacayán pic.twitter.com/RaeANdARsR

— Presentes Agency (@PresentesLGBT) June 9, 2018

[VIDEO: FREE HIGUI, story of a popular and feminist struggle] ]

🎈

Full statement from the Justice Committee for Higui, read at the Festival:

"One year after her release, we continue to demand Higui's acquittal:

It's been a year since we secured the release of our comrade Eva Analía Higui de Jesús and, through popular struggle, forced the hand of a lesbophobic judicial system that represses our bodies and identities. On this first anniversary of her release, we demand Higui de Jesús's acquittal from the Judiciary! This cry for her acquittal must be heard loud and clear throughout the country so that never again will a comrade fall victim to fascist men and a sexist, patriarchal, and heterosexist justice system. Higui was imprisoned in the Magdalena prison for almost eight months for trying to defend herself against a gang of ten men who tried to rape her, but fundamentally she was deprived of her freedom for being a woman, a lesbian and poor. Unfortunately, Higui's story is just one example of the countless acts of violence against lesbians and bisexuals and all sexual and gender dissidents in our country, most of these cases being made invisible and with a guarantee of impunity and social and institutional complicity. Violence against our identities has increased in the last two and a half years since the conservative government of Mauricio Macri took power, repressing our bodies and seeking to erase our existence and our rights. The significant increase in transvesticide and transfemicide is not a coincidence, nor is the succession of extremely serious events such as the prosecution of Mariana Gómez for kissing her partner at Constitución Station, the conviction of Joe Lemonge, a trans man from the Province of Entre Ríos, for defending himself against his aggressors who wanted to kill him, and the brutal attacks and beatings of Sofía Del Valle. We repudiate all forms of sexist-misogynistic-heterocispatriarchal violence and the institutional violence of this lesbophobic Judicial Power and demand the prompt acquittal of Higui de Jesús. We condemn the government of Mauricio Macri and the Cambiemos Alliance, under whose government social and institutional violence against sexual and gender dissidents increased, especially against lesbian, bisexual, lesbian, transvestite, and trans women. We say No to the agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which will only bring hunger and exclusion to our people and will deepen the policy of eliminating and gutting public policies towards our comrades. That's why we have to shout with all our fury: transvestite, transvestite, faggot, dyke! ABSOLUTION FOR OUR COMRADE EVA HIGUI DE JESÚS! ACQUITTAL FOR OUR COMRADE JOE LEMONGE! ACQUITTAL FOR OUR COMRADE MARIANA GÓMEZ! STOP LESBIAN HATE AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS LESBIANS, BISEXUALS AND DIVAS! Just days after the sentencing, we continue to demand JUSTICE FOR DIANA SACAYÁN! IT WAS A TRANSGENDER MURDER! STOP TRANSGENDER MURDER AND TRANSFEMICIDE! We are thousands fighting in the streets and shouting that we will never go back to the closet and the dungeon. TRANSVESTI FURY TRAVA CAKE BISEXUAL FAG!]]>