Open Letter to Public Opinion
In Response to False Allegations Against En Vero in Los Angeles Press
Montreal, Canada
July 31, 2019
My name is David Bertet, the President of En Vero, a small Canadian-based nonprofit whose mission is the release and revitalization of those who have been wrongfully imprisoned. Recently, En Vero has been made the victim of wrongful allegations by one of its collaborators at Los Angeles Press.
These allegations are as dangerous as they are unfounded. En Vero takes full responsibility for the actions of all of its staff, as well as collaborators (i.e. investigators or lawyers) whenever they are representing our organization. However, we bare no responsibility for the actions of any non-staff members that do not relate to En Vero. Defamatory and slanderous accusations were made against En Vero and me personally with absolutely no proof of the organization’s involvement, despite carelessly sharing very sensitive information that could put the lives of our staff and possibly victims at risk.
Not once has anyone under my instruction or the instruction of other senior staff members of En Vero engaged in activities that could be considered illegal or unethical. Even the person responsible for the attacks on En Vero acknowledges that the direct grievances are against people who are “colaboradores y aliados” at best. The bulk of the accusations were made against one specific person. However, this person and the one responsible for making the accusations have had a working relationship independent from En Vero since 2014. Whatever alleged transgressions that may have occurred were between these two parties did not directly involve our organisation. Because of this, En Vero would not be dragged into a personal dispute.
Anyone working in Human Rights understands the paramount importance of privacy and due diligence, neither of which was exhibited by the author of these false allegations. En Vero denounces the sharing and unauthorised release of sensitive information to the public, as well as making false allusions about myself directly. It is unfortunate that all this has come from someone I considered to be a fellow advocate of justice for those who have been robbed of it. The irony in all of this is that a collaborator writes an open letter demanding that En Vero and me, specifically, control the actions of people outside our organisation just because they are allies or collaborators. If we had this kind of power over our collaborators, such atrocious allegations against us probably would not have been allowed to appear in such a way. If this behaviour persists, legal action will indeed be the only recourse left.
Because of the attacks, but more specifically, the nature of the attacks, En Vero effectively dissolves any associations with Los Angeles Press. Every staff and board member has been instructed to cease all involvement and make ni future interactions with this company on behalf of En Vero.
David Bertet
President of the Board of Directors
En Vero
