From the Archive

February Newsletter: Protest at Senate Hearing , Friday Fast for Justice, April Retreat

Dear Friends,

The work of Witness Against Torture continues. Below, you will find a link to a reflection on a WAT protest at a US Senate hearing, as well as an invitation to join our Friday Fast for Justice.  And we are excited to gather in Cleveland in April for our yearly retreat – please RSVP at witnesstorture@gmail.com or consider donating to cover the expenses.

Witness Against Torture Responds to Senate hearing on Guantanamo

On February 5th Helen Schietinger from Witness Against Torture and David Barrows from CODEPINK were arrested for speaking out during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing about Guantanamo Bay prison. The following is an excerpt from Helen Schietinger’s letter to committee chair Senator John McCain denouncing the hateful remarks made by U.S. Senators and US detention policy more broadly.

Dear Senator McCain,

I am the woman who spoke out in the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the status of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay on February 5th.  I’m sure you heard my words, “Give them the rights of prisoners of war!” before I was arrested. 

I attended the hearing in an orange jump suit to silently protest the very existence of Guantanamo prison, and I expected to hear a reasonably rational discussion of the prison and its future.  I planned to listen respectfully . .  I was so shocked, however, by the vitriol of the senators who chose to attend the hearing that I felt I had to respond.

Click here to read the full letter.

Friday Fast for Justice Continues

In March 2013, the world became aware of a massive hunger strike at Guantánamo to protest indefinite detention and ongoing abuses at the prison. In response, on March 24 members of WAT and other human rights organizations embarked on a seven-day fast and held solidarity actions throughout the world.

By the end of that fast, the number of men hunger striking at the prison had increased.  Rather than end our solidarity fast, WAT initiated a “rolling fast,” in which at least one person per day fasted from midnight to midnight, made phone calls to people in power, and sent one letter to a prisoner at Guantánamo.  The rolling fast lasted nearly ten months.  More than 250 people participated, fasting for a total of 31,272 hours.

Currently, we have a Friday Fast for Justice. Individuals who sign up are asked to fast—in any form they like—on Friday, make phone calls to government officials, contribute a photo to our social media campaign, and write a letter to a prisoner at Guantánamo.  Those who sign up will get more specific instructions via email.

More than 50 people regularly participate in our Friday Fast for Justice. We’d love to have more!  If you are Christian, we invite you to fast for one or more Fridays during Lent and beyond, until the prison at Guantánamo is closed.

Sign up for the fast here.

Click here to read the history of the Friday Fast for Justice 

Witness Against Torture Retreat and Strategic Planning: Save the Date! You are invited!

When:  Friday Morning, April 10th, to Sunday Afternoon, April 12th, 2015

Where: Cleveland, Ohio.

This January, we came together in Washington D.C. to remind the nation of the plight of our brothers who continue to be endure the brutality of Guantanamo. We took action in front of the White House, at the Pentagon, Union Station, CIA Headquarters, and Dick Cheney’s and John Brennan’s houses.  We also connected Guantanamo and indefinite detention to U.S. police brutality and domestic racism. We partnered with local activists, bringing the message, “Ferguson 2 Guantanamo; White Silence = State Violence” to the U.S. Capitol building and D.C. Police headquarters. We were inspired, strengthened, stretched, and reminded of both our power and responsibility to fight torture, racism, and other injustices.

This spring, we want to gather to continue to strengthen our community, deepen our relationships, clarify our analysis, make more connections and think strategically about how to close Guantanamo.

The Witness Against Torture Community will therefore hold strategic planning and community building retreat from April 10th -12th  in Cleveland, Ohio.  We are currently in the process of planning the details of the weekend, but it will be a time of reflecting and planning.  Please consider joining us!

Space is limited, so we need to know if you are interested in attending. If you can attend, please RSVP by April 3rd to witnesstorture@gmail.com.

Witness Against Torture on Social Media:

Please “like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter & Instagram
Check out our latest news and updates on Tumblr.
Post any pictures of your local activities to our flicker 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. If you are able, please donate here. www.witnesstorture.org