A Mexican court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of two jailed environmental activists, Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera. The activists, who led peasant farmers to protest against rampant logging in Mexico’s southern state of Guerrero, have been sentenced to seven and 10 years in prison, respectively, for drug and weapons charges. Supporters say the two were tortured into confessing to the charges, and the case has provoked an international outcry. The Guerrero appeals court rejected testimony that the men were tortured, and lawyers for the activists said the decision effectively ruled out further appeals in Mexico. Alejando Queral of the Sierra Club said, “This is going to have an extremely chilling effect on other environmentalists in Mexico.”
