From the Archive

Witness Against Torture’s Fast for Justice Begins

Dear Friends,

Witness Against Torture is once again gathering in Washington D.C to Fast for Justice. The first car loads of people have arrived. The first actions are being crafted and our last meal has been consumed.  Every year, we come from around the country to reflect and take action. We center our work together by remembering the muslim men that remain in Guantanamo. Most of them have never been charged with any crime. For the next 8 days, our lives are intertwined together in this basement hostel, where we will create a resistance community, we will build a shared analysis, and we will fast.

We will fast in solidarity with the 59 muslim men that remain in Guantanamo.    

We will fast to resist white supremacy, racism, islamophobia, and fear of our neighbor.

We will fast to denounce state violence.

We will fast to remain human in a culture that dehumanizes our communities.

We know that human rights face a new danger: Donald Trump. His racist and islamophobic rhetoric threatens us all. He has said he wants to torture. He has vowed to keep Guantanamo open. Just yesterday, Donald Trump reminded the world he will not release anyone.

This year, we are fasting and building together to strengthen our resistance for the years to come. We  invite you to join us in this work.  

We are fasting until January 11th. We are engaging in creative direct action. You can come to DC or you can participate from home. Just send us an email and let us know your plans: witnesstorture@gmail.com

If you want to receive the daily fasting updates, please let us know by emailing witnesstorture@gmail.com

Schedule for January 8th to the 12th:

Click here to see Full Fast Schedule

Join us next week for these larger events in DC:

Breathing Fire: A Teach-In on Teargas in Prison

Sunday, January 8th, 6 to 8pm:

Location: First Trinity Lutheran Church
501 4th St NW, (entrance on 4th Street)
Washington DC 20001 (4th and E Sts. NW)
(Judiciary Square Metro)

This Teach-In will include:
1. What is tear gas? Who makes it? Who uses it? Why is it banned?
2. Who does teargas impact? Activity with testimonies of being gassed in prison, in protest and around the world?
3. Facing Teargas in Prison: The letters from the inside, the petition of 13K, what we are gonna do at the Department of Justice the next day
4. Prison Militarization: what does that even mean?

Words From the Grassroots: Strengthening Our Resistance to State Violence

Tuesday, January 10, 2017, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Location  801 22nd Street NW
Gallery 102, Smith Hall of Art
Washington, DC 20052

Join the Center for Constitutional Rights, Witness Against Torture, and the Tea Project for a night of tea, art, poetry, music, and words by artists, activists, and leaders in the movements to end state violence from indefinite detention at Guantánamo, police murders, and institutionalized Islamophobia. Speakers will share stories of hope and lessons from the front lines of their work, while speaking to the ways we need to change our resistance to confront the incoming Trump administration.

January 11th Rally:

No More Guantanamo. No Torture Presidency.  No Indefinite Detention

Join Witness Against Torture and our coalition partners on January 11th in Washington DC. for our annual rally to close Guantanamo!

Location: White House Ellipse
12 noon: Music
12:30: Rally
1:30: March to Department of Justice.

Witness Against Torture on Social Media

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Post any pictures of your local activities to our flickr account and we will help spread the word.

Donate to support our work

Witness Against Torture is completely volunteer driven and run. We have no paid staff, but do have expenses associated with our organizing work. We need your financial support. We are fiscally sponsored by the Washington Peace Center. The Washington Peace Center is a verified US-registered non profit.If you are able, click here to donate: