From the Archive

September Newsletter: Fast for Tariq – Join us in NYC – Save the Date

Dear Friends,

Greetings to everyone! Thank you to all of you who have fasted with WAT in the past, and for those of you taking part in our weekly Fast for Justice.  Those of you who have fasted know the value of this ancient spiritual practice.  Fasting not only creates a hunger and want for food in us, but is also an act of moving into solidarity with those who suffer from physical hunger and those who hunger for justice at Guantánamo and elsewhere.

This past January 11th in Washington, DC on the thirteenth anniversary of the opening of the prison at Guantánamo, WAT member Jeremy Varon said,

       In 2013, inspired by the mass hunger strike in Guantánamo, tens of thousands of      prisoners in California and other states went on hunger strike to protest solitary confinement.  This brave act, in turn, inspired anti- Guantánamo activists to engage in solidarity hunger fasts lasting as long as 100 days.  News of this solidarity made it through lawyers to the hunger strikers at Guantánamo, whose expression of thanks caused us to push harder.  Here we have global solidarity, not only among prisoner advocates, but among imprisoned human beings themselves.  Let us dwell also on the awesome power of this fact, and the world-changing potential it has.

Keeping in mind the powerful witness fasting can be, Witness Against Torture is once again putting out an emergency call to action and solidarity fast this Friday, September 18, 2015 in support of the Center for Constitutional Rights’ appeal on behalf of Yemeni prisoner, Tariq Ba Odah.  I hope you will consider joining us.

Finally, we are grateful to you all for your steadfastness to the work of closing Guantánamo and ending torture and indefinite detention.

With much gratitude,

Witness Against Torture

Emergency Fast for Tariq Ba Odah and the Hunger Strikers — Fast for Justice

 “Freedom should be much more precious for the human being than all the desires on earth. And we should never give it up regardless of how expensive the price may be.” – Tariq Ba Odah, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, 2013

Witness Against Torture is calling for an emergency fast to highlight the case of Guantánamo prisoner, Tariq Ba Odah, a Yemeni man who has been detained at the prison without charge since 2002 and cleared for release in 2009.  According to his attorneys, Tariq, who at 74 pounds—56% of his ideal body weight– is on the brink of death according to three health officials.    Please consider fasting on Friday, September 18, 2015 in solidarity with Tariq Ba Odah and the remaining 116 Guantánamo prisoners.

If you plan to fast, send an email to witnesstorture@gmail.com.  Please include in the email where you live and a brief statement as to why you are fasting.  If you cannot fast on Friday, feel free to choose another day this week to fast.  Witness Against Torture will report the numbers of those fasting and convey, through attorneys, your messages to Tariq and others at Guantánamo.

Click here for full information regarding emergency fast:  

Witness Against Torture participates in the No Separate Justice Vigil:

Join us on October 5th, 2015 in NYC from 6pm to 7pm. The Vigil will be held outside the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in lower Manhattan – 150 Park Row –

Contact Jeremy Varon at jvaron@aol.com to get involved.

Save the Date: Fast for Justice – January 3rd- 13th, 2016

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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.