Kangaroos Storm DC to Close Guantanamo!

The kangaroo photos are further down!

On January 11th, over 200 activists marched from the White House to the Department of Justice to mark the 9th anniversary of the detention facility at Guantanamo and demand an end to unfair kangaroo courts, indefinite detention and impunity for torture. The march was covered by the media, including the Washington Post and the Miami Herald.

The march was organized by Witness Against Torture, the Center for Constitutional Rights, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows and Amnesty International USA. Similar demonstrations were held around the world.

In front of the Department of Justice.

Amnesty International UK and Amnesty USA are campaigning to resolve the case of Shaker Aamer, a former UK resident with a wife and children in London who has been held without charge for over 8 years.  The UK government has asked for him back–UK Foreign Secretary William Hague even raised the case with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton–but Shaker Aamer remains detained without charge and without explanation.

We are calling on the US government to either charge Shaker Aamer with a crime and give him a fair trial in US federal court, or release him. You can help resolve this case and get us one step closer to closing Guantanamo by emailing Secretary Clinton and President Obama right now.

This is when the snow started.

To help raise awareness about Shaker Aamer’s case, Amnesty USA activists are organizing events across America this month, includingscreenings of The Response, a 30-minute drama about Guantanamo starring Aasif Mandvi of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. If you’d like to organize a screening click here.

We don’t want to be out in the cold and snow again next January 11th, but if Guantanamo is still open, we’ll be there!

We love kangaroos, but kangaroo courts have got to go.

On the way to the DoJ.

Join the Close Guantanamo March in DC on Jan 11

Join us in Washington DC on January 11th for a  march to close Guantanamo! We’ll gather at the White House at 11AM for some short speeches and then march to the Department of Justice.

We’ll have orange jumpsuits for people to wear, “No Kangaroo Courts at Guantanamo” signs, and banners urging the government to either charge or release detainees, including Shaker Aamer, who has been held without charge over 8 years, despite the UK government requesting his return.

Speakers at the rally will include: Tom Parker , Amnesty International USA’s advocacy and policy director of terrorism, counterterrorism and human rights, Valerie Lucznikowska, September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, historian Andy Worthington, Pardiss Kebriaei, staff attorney, the Center for Constitutional Rights representing Guantanamo detainees and Frida Berrigan, Witness Against Torture.

Why January 11? It’s the 9th anniversary of detainees arriving at Guantanamo to face torture, indefinite detention and unfair military commission “trials”–seen around the world as kangaroo courts.

EVENT:          Rally to Close Guantanamo Bay Prison

DATE:            Tuesday, January 11, 2011

TIME:             11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WHERE:         In front of the White House, Washington, DC

MORE INFO:   [email protected]

   

Join Us at the Stewart/Colbert Rally in DC!

Join Amnesty International at the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally on Saturday, October 30th!

Our contingent will be making noise to close Guantanamo and ensure accountability for  U.S. torture–we need your voice!

We’ll be handing out free buttons, holding signs and chanting slogans.

You’ll get a free t-shirt and have a ton of fun with us!

It will be a great way to meet new friends who share your passion for making the world a better place.

How to Find Us

Location: Archives- Navy Memorial- Penn Quarter Metro Station (yellow/ green line)

Time: We will be there starting at 10:00am

Let us know if you are planning to attend, email [email protected]

If you have trouble finding us, text 917-815-6980

See you there!

What Goes Around Comes Around

Our ad in the Farragut West Metro Station, Washington DC

Our ad in the Farragut West Metro Station, Washington DC

Last month I had the opportunity to meet with Tamil human rights defenders working to protect the rights of Tamil civilians displaced by the Sri Lankan government’s military campaign against the violent Armed Group known as the Tamil Tigers.

Displaced Tamils are confined to government run camps where conditions are harsh and there is no end to their detention in sight. Tamil and Sri Lankan human rights defenders are operating under great threat from the authorities and Sinhalese nationalist paramilitaries.

Journalists have been killed and activists have disappeared. An unmarked white van has been associated with several disappearances, evoking memories of the dirty wars of Latin America. The atmosphere in Colombo is increasingly one of fear and intimidation.

This is the context in which we learned earlier this month of a visit to Washington DC by the Sri Lankan Attorney General, Mohan Peiris, to meet with his American counterpart Eric Holder. SEE THE REST OF THIS POST