November 8th, 2006

The family of Brad Will has issued the following statement:

"We understand that two of the group of five allegedly involved in Brad's murder have been arrested in Oaxaca. We applaud this action but also note that the other three implicated directly in the crime remain at large. We urge that efforts immediately be expanded to find and arrest all of those involved in all recent killings there.

We call for the creation of an independent federal Mexican commission to ensure a fair and just investigation and trial.

And we urge an inquiry into the extent to which higher-level officials in the state government of Oaxaca have been involved in both Brad's murder and other human rights violations.

We also condemn and seek an immediate end to the illegitimate arrests and ongoing harassment of the press corps in Oaxaca.

And we wholeheartedly agree with Reporters Without Borders' call for Oaxaca state governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz to be summoned before the new prosecutor’s office dealing with attacks on press freedom.

Finally, we urge that the demonstrators maintain a distinctly peaceful and non-violent approach to the expression of their demands in Oaxaca."