May Newsletter: Protest outside U.S. Embassy, Take Action, Join us in DC!

From the Archive

May Newsletter: Protest outside U.S. Embassy, Take Action, Join us in DC!

Dear Friends,

Witness Against Torture continues to plan, participate in, and take actions to demand an end to state violence — violence that continues to indefinitely detain 122 men in Guantanamo, incarcerate communities of color, and allow the police to murder Freddie Grey, Malissa Williams, Walter Scott, Tanisha Anderson, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and so many more. In April, 20 of our members at a a strategic planning retreat to determine the scope of our work for the coming year and deepen our analysis of the link between various forms of state violence. We are excited to implement many of the ideas generated by the group. Please stay tuned for more information about future campaigns and actions!

Witness Against Torture is honored to receive this year the Ally Award of the Center of Constitutional Rights (CCR). It will be presented at the Annual President’s Reception in New York City on May 6. The award is a testament to the dedication of the WAT community and its close partnership with CCR. We are honored to share the award with the The National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms (HOOD), a Yemen-based human rights organization demanding an end to torture and the closure of Guantanamo, among many issues.

Click here to read the letter sent to HOOD about sharing this award with them.

Former Guatanamo Bay Prisoners Protest Outside United States Embassy in Uruguay.

Currently, there are 122 men that remain in Guantanamo, 57 of have been cleared for release. Despite the Obama administration’s recent promises, releases from the prison have once again ground to a halt. One of the last releases was in December of 2014, when six men were resettled in Uruguay. Four these men, Ahmed Adnana Ahjam, Ali Husein Shaaban, Abd al-Hadi Faraj and Abdul Bin Mohammed Bin Abess Ourgy, have begun to demonstrate in front of the United States embassy in Montevideo demanding compensation for the years of torture and detention they suffered at the hands of the United States government.

Watch this video from AJ+

Take Action Today to Demand Accountability for Torture:

We are calling all WAT members to join Amnesty International in pressuring the new Attorney General to Read the Torture Report! Last week, Amnesty International USA launched the American Torture Story campaign to get the Justice Department to commit to reading and review the full text of the so-called Senate “Torture Report,” which may contain evidence of prosecutable crimes. The report is a landmark document that should have legal implications for those who designed and carried out torture policies . Here is a quick action you can take to demand accountability. It won’t take any longer than a phone call.

Please send one page of the “Torture Report” to the Justice Department. You can do this through email, tweeting, printing and mailing a page. Please include the tag line, “If you won’t read the report, we’ll send it to you one page at a time”

Click here for more details: http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/torture/read-the-report

Secondly, there is a video action with the tag line, “If you won’t read the report, we’ll read it to you”

Click here for more details: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/us/if-the-justice-department-wont-read-the-torture-report-you-can-read-it-to-them/

Come to DC for Torture Awareness Week: WAT Members on Trial for Witnessing in the Capitol

Join Witness Against Torture (WAT) in Washington DC during Torture Awareness Week (June 21 to 28, 2015) for the trials of WAT members who were arrested on January 12 for protesting in Congress. Twenty-two people spoke out on behalf of those who have been detained, tortured and murdered by our government, in two different places in the Capitol.

The trials are timed to coincide with Torture Awareness Week, when WAT traditionally gathers in support of Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition, Inc (TASSC), whose members — torture survivors from all over the world — come together for solidarity and advocacy. The week culminates with the TASSC vigil on Saturday in Lafayette Square in front of the White House. Join us for all or part of the week! We’ll be at St Stephens Episcopal Church. Contact Helen Schietinger to sign up h.schietinger@verizon.net

For more information on trial dates and times: Click here.

Witness Against Torture on Social Media:

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Post any pictures of your local activities to our 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

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Witness Against Torture
www.witnesstorture.org

@witnesstorture