From the Archive

Three Things You Can Do Today!

Today, people in over 40 cities across seven countries will take to the streets calling on President Obama to make good on his commitment to close Guantanamo. One year ago on May 23rd, President Obama once again promised to close the detention facility in a speech at the National Defense University. One year later, with 154 men still remaining, 76 of whom have been cleared for release, Witness Against Torture, Code Pink, The Center for Constitutional Rights, World Can’t Wait, and more than 30 other groups are banding together to say “Not Another Broken Promise!”   

There is no excuse for keeping Guantanamo open. The President has the power to shutter the prison and end this United States nightmare of torture and force-feeding. One year later, we continue to indefinitely detain “people who have been charged with no crime on a piece of land that is not a part of our country.”  Today, we are asking you to join your voice with ours and say “Not another day in Guantanamo!”

There are three things you can do to participate in this global call to action to close Guantanamo:

1. Join a local action.

Join us at one of the over 40 vigils happening around the United States. We are in big cities and small towns.  Click here to see if there is an action close to you.

Cannot make it to the streets today? That’s ok. Here are you can do right from your own home.

2. Make phone calls to pressure government officials.  

We are asking people to call President Obama at the White House, Cliff Sloan at the State Department and U.S. Southern Command to insist upon the closure of Guantanamo, that the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Report on CIA torture is declassified and released in its entirely, and that the brutal force-feeding procedures are ended.

For the numbers and talking script please click here. 

3. Spread the word through social media.

There are a number of ways you can help spread the word through social media. First, consider changing your Facebook profile to our collective image.  Second, you can participate in our photo campaign and take a photo of yourself with a sign that finishes the sentence “In 12 years I have…”

Throughout the day, we will be posting news updates and pictures of our actions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. We will be posting everything under #Gitmoproblems. This is an easy way for people to search for images and quotes and share them. Please post anything that you do related to Guantanamo today under #Gitmoproblems.  Other popular hashtags are: #Guantanamo #CloseGitmo #OPGTMO #standfast and #Fast4Justice

Click here to learn more about our social media strategy for today.

Finally, make sure you send us pictures from your actions and activities. witnesstorture@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATES – June 27-30 in Washington, DC

Join Witness Against Torture June 27-30, 2014 as we gather together in Washington, DC to commemorate Torture Awareness Month.  Our time together will include public witness with members of the Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition (TASSC), community building, and planning for future events.

Email witnesstorture@gmail.com if you are interested in participating and/or helping to organize the gathering.

DONATE

Witness Against Torture is completely volunteer driven and run.  We have no paid staff, but do have expenses associated with our organizing work.  If you are able, please donate here.