30 Years: Carlos Alberto Torres

Think about it. Thirty years of your life by most accounts is a very long time. For Carlos Alberto Torres, who this month marks 30 years in federal prison, it has been a very long time. Carlos was convicted and sentenced to 78 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and various other charges. Quite simply, at 58 years old (born September 19, 1952), his sentence is nearly equivalent to that of a life sentence.

In the fall of 1999, the Clinton administration offered clemency to 12 Puerto Rican political prisoners. Carlos was not included in that offer. As he continues to serve out his prison sentence (currently in Oxford, Wisconsin) the efforts for his release also continue. The continued efforts and support for his release have left an imprint on the Parole Board, thus far, in favor of release later this year. A letter campaign continues to show this mounting support. Download the Letter.

Recently, the National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN), in recreating the isolation of prison, set up an interactive art installation. Volunteers spent 24 hours in a makeshift prison cell. Visit The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign's website and the NBHRN website for more info on this and more.