Wet’suwet’en Wing Chief Dsta’hyl (Adam Gangon) has completed a 60-day house arrest after being convicted him of criminal contempt in July.
That’s according to Amnesty International who previously called him Canada’s first prisoner of conscience.
He was arrested in 2021 for breaching a court order not to impede construction of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline.
“The federal government and the province have the power to issue a declaration recognizing our ownership of our 22,000 square kilometres of territory,” Gangon said.
He added in a news release, he would continue fighting for Wet’suwet’en rights and supporting other land defenders.
Along with fighting for their rights, Gangon said he wants the court injunction removed.
“This injunction should be made illegal. It’s made for corporations at the expense of Indigenous Nations, the people who own and protect the land,” he said.
Three other land defenders will be returning to court next week about the November 2021 police raid in relation to the Costal Gas Link pipeline construction.
Amnesty International Americas Director Ana Piquer said in the release, “If their cases go to sentencing, Amnesty International will not hesitate to consider new prisoner-of-conscience designations and shine more light into Canada’s failures on Indigenous rights”
The international organization also thanked Gangon for sharing his voice and story in the matter.
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