"Gringa" Denied Liberty
After Given Refugee
Status
The Tribunal Penal de
Heredia (Heredia court)
yesterday denied
releasing Cherlyn
Tomayko from detention
at the women's prison,
El Buen Pastor, after
the ministra de
Seguridad Pública
announced the decision
on Wednesday to grant
the "Gringa" refugee
status.
Tomayko is in the centre
of a legal battle after
her ex-husband filed
charges of kidnapping
when the woman fled to
Costa Rica with her
children, fleeing
spousal abuse. Tomayko
was detained by Interpol
and being held at the
Buen Pastor since last
September, fighting
extradition.
Tomayko is now married
to a Costa Rican,
becoming a naturalized
citizen and has two
children with the man.
The Heredia court
decision was handed down
by judge Carlos Zalazar
at 1pm, denying the
woman her liberty and
that it would be up to
the Constitutional Court
to render a decision on
the Tomayko's liberty.
On Wednesday and to the
annyoance of US Embassy
in San José officials,
the ministra de
Seguridad Pública,
Janina del Vecchio,
announced that Tomayko
was being granted
refugee status. The US
Embassy in San José
quickly announced
cancellation of plans
that were to have been
held the day following
of the donation of an
airplane to the
Seguridad ministry.
The US annoyance was
further evidenced
yesterday when US
Ambassador to Costa
Rica, Peter Cianchette,
personally called Costa
Rica's foreign minister,
Bruno Stagno, to
communicate his feelings
on the matter.
Cianchette also met with
minister Del Vecchio
yesterday afternoon.
"He (Cianchette) told me
he respects our
decision, though he is
not in agreement with
it", said Del Vecchio
following the meeting.
Jeannette Carrillo,
president of the
Instituto Nacional de la
Mujer (Inamu) - women's
institute - explained
that she trusts that the
constitutional court
justices will give
Tomayko her liberty.
Meanwhile, Javier
Montero (Tomayko's
husband) and their three
children, sat beside
Tomayko at the Buen
Pastor waiting for the
nightmare to be over.
For his part, Costa Rica
president, Oscar Arias,
said he gave the Ok to
grant Tomayko refugee
status and had discussed
the case with Carrillo. |
