Letter from Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian, General Secretary of GAP Project International, on support of the sanction of Spanish Great Apes Law:

“GAP Project believes that extending legal rights also to chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans is a fundamental requirement to prevent the continuation of torture and other violations to our evolutionary “brothers” – we belong to the family of the hominids, together we have the same common ancestor and many of our cognitive abilities are equal.

Some nations are already at the forefront regarding the claims on the rights of the great apes and the initiative, in June 2008, of the Environment Committee of the Congress of Spanish Deputies to approve a proposal of a Great Apes Law was an example of this breakthrough. However, after ten years, the idea has not been put into effect and it is urgent that the law that guarantees their basic rights become a reality.

We express our full support to the colleagues of GAP Spain and together we request that the Government creates the law and gives a chance to great apes to enjoy, once for all, their rights.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian

General Secretary, GAP Project International”