Over Fifty Citizens on Ten-Day Fast for Justice Carry Guantánamo Cell to President Obama’s Front Door

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Activists Commit to Maintaining a 92-hour Vigil Until January 11, Tenth Anniversary of Guantánamo

WAT Cage at the White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The specter of an orange clad, black hooded human being cowering behind iron bars is drawing a lot of attention at the White House this week. On Saturday, January 7, members of Witness Against Torture carried a reproduction of a Guantánamo cell over barricades surrounding Lafayette Park and deployed it in front of the White House.
Continue reading Over Fifty Citizens on Ten-Day Fast for Justice Carry Guantánamo Cell to President Obama’s Front Door

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Fast for Justice 2012: Day 6

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Fast for Justice: Day 6
Dear Friends,

Day 6 of the fast is drawing to a close and many are feeling a natural exhaustion, but we continue to be animated by the number of projects that keep us moving, thinking, and interacting with each other and those around us.

We had a full day with a conference call to the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, a report about Afghanistan, the continuation of the 92-hour cell vigil, a White House vigil, a fasters circle, and a viewing of Taxi to the Dark Side with Occupy D.C. folks from McPherson Square.

As we continue in this work we are grateful for the involvement of friends near and far. Below are a few suggestions of how you can engage with the fast and actions either here in D.C. or from your home community.
Continue reading Fast for Justice 2012: Day 6

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Fast for Justice 2012: Day 5

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Fast for Justice: Day 5
Hour 16 of 92-hr Guantánamo cage vigil at White House

We truly have transitioned. Long days of sitting in court room 312, wandering its halls, trying to ignore the pastries in the café while sipping hot tea, are over. Most of the day was spent out of doors – at Occupy Washington D.C., processing through the city, haunting the Washington Monument and the White House and introducing “the cage” to the public. And at four o’clock this afternoon, we lifted the Guantánamo Cell that had spent the day leading our procession around the city, over the stanchions that prevent vehicles from entering the White House grounds, and wheeled it onto Pennsylvania Avenue to begin what will be a continuous vigil (92 hours) until January 11th. As we write (11:30pm on Jan. 7th), three of our community are there at the White House, to be replaced by another shift soon.Whether in court or out of doors our momentum is sustained by the many diverse contributions of numerous participants of the WAT community. There are teams of volunteers directing their time and energy to various essential tasks: house-keeping, action planning, courtroom sketches, photographs and videos, waking up early to put on coffee and hot water, staying up late to collect and disseminate information. One of our un-credited daily updaters, Ted Walker, has left for a few days, as did defendant Brian Hynes, and his wife and daughter Heidi and Frieda, whose invigorating presence will be truly missed.
Continue reading Fast for Justice 2012: Day 5

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Fast for Justice 2012: Day 4

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Fast for Justice: Day 4
As we prepare this daily update, folks are trickling back to the church from a Clarification of Thought meeting on Witness Against Torture with our friends at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Laughter is hushed as the lights are turned down, mattresses are spread out in every direction across the floor. Day 4 of our fast is coming to a close.
Continue reading Fast for Justice 2012: Day 4

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Trial Ends for 14 Anti-Torture Activists

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

1 acquitted, 3 found guilty by a jury, charges dropped against 9
Jury Continues to Deliberate on One Case; Sentencing Statements Tomorrow

WAT Activists Outside the Moultrie Courthouse

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three members of Witness Against Torture were found guilty in a jury trial at D.C. Superior Court on January 5, 2012. The jury brought back guilty verdicts in the cases of defendants Brian Hynes of the Bronx, NY, Mike Levinson of New Rochelle, NY, and Carmen Trotta of New York City, NY. By the end of the day on Thursday, the jury remained “truly deadlocked” on the case of defendant Judith Kelly of Arlington, Virginia.
Continue reading Trial Ends for 14 Anti-Torture Activists

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Fast for Justice 2012: Day 3

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Fast for Justice: Day 3
Defendant pro se Josie Setzler addresses the judge as the defendants and their attorney advisers look on. Sketch by Deb VanPoolen.

We write to you this evening with the report that the jury found Brian Hynes, Mike Levinson, and Carmen Trotta guilty on all charges, but were “truly deadlocked” by the end of the day concerning Judith Kelly. The jury was sent home and will resume in the morning.
Continue reading Fast for Justice 2012: Day 3

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Occupy the Courtroom: Activists Put Guantánamo on Trial

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

A jury trial for five anti-torture activists begins on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 in D.C. Superior Court before Judge Fisher on a charge of unlawful conduct.

WAT Activists at the Moultrie Courthouse

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “Our strategy is to put Guantánamo on trial,” says Josie Setzler, a human rights advocate and grandmother from Ohio, “to demand action from our elected Representatives and our President, to see Guantánamo shut down and this travesty ended.”
Continue reading Occupy the Courtroom: Activists Put Guantánamo on Trial

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Fast for Justice 2012: Day 1

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

WAT Activists at the Moultrie Courthouse

Dear Friends,

In its opening statement of our court trial, the government repeatedly insisted that “this was not the time and place” – not the time to present our grievances against the continuation (or, as is recently evident, perpetuation) of Guantánamo, not the forum for debating these issues. And yet we maintain that now is always the time and place to speak out against Guantánamo.
Continue reading Fast for Justice 2012: Day 1

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail

Anti-Torture Activists to Occupy Washington, January 2nd-12th

Fast for Justice 2012 // Film

Marking 10th anniversary of Guantánamo, events to include 10-day fast, courtroom support for activists who spoke out in congress, and a human chain from the White House to Congress

A Line of WAT Activists Marches in DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — January 11 will mark the tenth anniversary of the first detainees’ arrival at the U.S.-controlled detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. To remember this travesty, Witness Against Torture is planning 10 days of activities in Washington, D.C. demanding an end to torture and indefinite detention at Guantánamo, Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and that the president reject the just-passed National Defense Authorization Act.
Continue reading Anti-Torture Activists to Occupy Washington, January 2nd-12th

twitterFacebooktumblrmailtwitterFacebooktumblrmail